• Previous
• Next
• Section Contents

Australia : Curricula (age 3-19)

Last updated: 03-Apr-2011
5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, age 0 - 5/6
5.1.1 Control
5.1.2 Compulsory subjects
5.1.3 Optional/elective subjects
5.1.4 Formulation of curriculum
5.1.5 Key skills
5.1.6 Curriculum materials

---

5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, age 0 - 5/6 [see 3.2.1]

5.1.1 Control

National

Australia does not currently have a National Curriculum for its schools. Each State/Territory has sole constitutional responsibility for the curriculum of its government schools. However, since 1986 there has been some support for national collaboration in the curriculum.³¹  In addition, work is now taking place to develop a National Curriculum (for students aged 5 to 18).  This is likely to be implemented from 2011.  See section 5.2.1 for further details.

Pre-school programmes in Australia, which usually combine structured learning and free activities, may be guided by the relevant government authorities, but in others they are developed by the individual pre-school. ¹⁵¹

In addition, the federal Government in Australia is in the process of introducing a National Quality Framework for Early Education and Care. One of the elements of this Framework is the Early Years Learning Framework. ²⁶⁹

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (0-5) describes the principles, practices and outcomes essential to support and enhance young children's learning, as well as their transition to school.  The Framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning as this is considered to be the best vehicle for young children's learning.  The Framework also recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development.²⁶⁹ 

The EYLF has been developed collaboratively by the Australian Commonwealth Government and State and Territory Governments with substantial input from the early childhood sector and early childhood academics.  The Framework incorporates feedback from an extensive consultation process, including two national symposiums, national public consultation forums, focus groups, an online forum and case-study trials.  ²⁶⁹

The Framework was endorsed by the Council of Australian Governements (COAG) in July 2009 and implementation has begun. It is expected that, following a period of familiarisation, every early childhood service will develop their own strategy to implement the Framework, taking their own unique context into consideration.  

Queensland

The Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines, currently in development, provide advice for planning, interacting with, monitoring and assessing and reporting on children aged 4 to 5 in the Kindergarten context. ²⁷¹

Based on the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (see above), the guidelines describe five learning and development areas and observable behaviours typical of children's learning and development at the end of the Kindergarten Year.  The guidelines promote active learning for children through play, real-life engagement, routines and tranistions. ²⁷¹

In addition, guidelines covering the Preparatory Year (5- to 6-year-olds) were also published in 2006.  These Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (EYCG) provide teachers with a framework for interacting with children, and planning, assessing and reflecting on an effective Preparatory Year curriculum.  They are based on active learning for children through real-life situations, investigation and play and incorporate descriptions of four early learning and development phases to help teachers to monitor children's progress and preparedness for Year 1.  They aim to build continuity between children's prior experiences and their future learning in schools.⁵²   

Responsible agencies
"The Minister is authorised to do all things considered by him to be necessary to develop, review, maintain and implement curricula taught or to be taught in state education institutions". ¹

Prior to 1 July 2002, the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) was the body responsible for the curriculum.  It:

• acted as an intersystemic advisory committee to the Minister for Education;
• developed, along with the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies, and endorsed the strategic plan for Preparatory to Year 12 (5-18) curriculum development;
• provided advice on curriculum projects;
• was responsible for the development of curriculum and supportive materials in the State; and
• was responsible for coordinating the development of assessment and reporting mechanisms and for monitoring system-wide student outcomes. ⁵³

On 1 July 2002, the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) merged with the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies (QBSSSS) and the Tertiary Entrance Procedures Authority to form the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA).  The aim was, through the creation of this single statutory body, to streamline statutory arrangements for the State's curriculum, assessment and tertiary entrance, and to offer a coordinated approach from pre-school to Year 12 and beyond. The Authority is modelled on the best practice of the three previous bodies.  ¹⁵² 

The QSA also took over responsibility for curriculum revision. Review is periodic, with syllabuses generally being reviewed every three to six years, and remaining current for around five years.  The Queensland Studies Authority website is at http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au 

Victoria

The Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development released the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework in November 2009.  The Framework was developed by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) in partnership with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). It aim to advance all children's learning and development (0-8) by supporting all early childhood professionals to work together with families to achieve common outcomes for all children. ²⁷³

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework identifies five Early Years Development Outcomes for all children; eight practice principles for learning and and development; and emphasises the importance of supporting children's and families' transitions as they move within and across services throughout the early childhood period.  ²⁷³

It complements the discipline specific resources that already support early childhood professionals, including the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the Maternal and Child Health Service Activity Framework.  In this way, the Framework aims to support common understandings and shared conversations with other professionals and families to support children's learning and development. 

The eight Practice Principles for Learning and Development describe the most effective ways for early childhood professional to work together and with children and families to facilitate learning and development.  They are arranged into three categories:

Collaborative	family-centred practice partnerships with professionals high expectations for every child
Effective	equity and diversity respectful relationships and responsive engagement integrated teaching and learning approaches assessment for learning and development
Reflective	reflective practice.

Source ²⁷³

These principles are based on the pedagogy of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia and the P-12 Principles of Learning and Teaching, and on the latest evidence about the the best ways to support children's learning.  ²⁷³

Victorian Essential Learnings
Education for children in the pre-compulsory Preparatory Year (age 5-6) is covered by the principles of the Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS).  The VELS are based on three key pillars: knowledge, skills, and personal and social development.  See section 5.2. for further details.  

5.1.2 Compulsory subjects

General/national

Generally, pre-school programmes in Australia are planned to reflect a child's interests and their intellectual, social, emotional and physical needs. Learning is integrated across the development needs, with flexible learning experiences recognising individual children's learning styles, prior experiences and differing rates of development. ¹⁵¹

In the year before compulsory education begins, the Preparatory Year as it is often known, the focus is on the overall development of the child and the curriculum is linked to the primary curriculum. Learning experiences are based on the skills students bring to school and are built around literacy, mathematics, physical skills, and personal and social skills in preparation for Year 1 of primary school. (This Preparatory Year is often regarded as part of the primary school structure.) ¹⁵¹

The Early Years Learning Framework (see above) expresses the curriculum in terms of Learning Outcomes of which there are five:

• Children have a strong sense of identity.
• Children are connected with and contribute to their own world.
• Childre have a strong sense of well-being.
• Children are confident and involved learners.
• Children are effective communicators. ²⁷⁰  

Queensland

The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines (EYCG) have five early learning areas.  They are derived from the factors identified by research as being associated with children's later success in school.  They are

• social and personalised learning
• health and physical learning
• language learning and communication
• early mathematical understandings
• active learning processes.²⁷¹

There are, in addition, five contexts for learning:

• play
• real life situations
• investigations
• routines and transitions
• focused learning and teaching. ²⁷¹

The early learning areas promote continuity between curriculum programmes in the pre-compulsory and compulsory years of schooling by providing links with children's prior learning and the curriculum described in the key learning areas syllabuses (see section 5.2.2.). See the table below for how they map: 

Early learning areas	Specific focus within the early learning areas	Key learning areas
Social and personal learning	Social learning Personal learning	Studies of science and the environment (SOSE) Health and personal education (HPE)
Health and physical learning	Making healthy choices Gross-motor Fine-motor	Health and personal education (HPE)
Language learning and communication	Oral languages Early literarcy	English Languages other than English (LOTE)
Early mathematical understanding	Early numercy	Mathematics
Active learning processes	Thinking Investigating Imagining and responding	Science Studies of science and the environment (SOSE) Technology The Arts

Source²⁷²

Previously in Queensland, the key components of the Pre-School Curriculum Guidelines were based on the principles of the early childhood curriculum which acknowledged the individuality of children with regard to their unique psychological state, their development, their family and cultural experiences and their skills and interests, as follows:

• understanding children (balanced programme, fair and equitable practices, understanding individual social and cultural contexts);
• building partnerships (involving children in planning, collaborating with children, parents, colleagues and other professionals, effective communication);
• establishing a flexible learning environment (providing choice, encouraging negotiation, managing time appropriately, providing a resource-rich learning environment);
• supporting play (valuing play and first-hand experiences, enabling quality interactions);
• exploring content (providing challenge, focusing on individual and group learning outcomes, providing relevant content and promoting continuity of experience). ⁴⁹

There were five Foundation Learning Areas, which provided a framework for exploring and reflecting on the content component of the pre-school curriculum, in conjunction with other components (e.g. analysis of how children learn). Each Foundation Learning Area was described in terms of understandings and dispositions (or habits of mind), learning processes, teaching strategies and learning outcomes. The Foundation Learning Areas were:

• sense of self and others;
• health and physical understanding;
• social living and learning;
• cultural understanding;
• understanding environments. ⁵²  

Tasmania

Children in pre-compulsory education (usually a year of part-time Kindergarten, aged 4-5, followed by one year of full-time Preparatory education, aged 5-6) are taught to acquire learning skills and inducted into the culture of the classroom and school.

Victoria

Learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are wanted for children in Victoria.  The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework uses five learning and development outcomes to describe the key elements of children's learning and development.  They are:

• Children have a strong sense of identity.
• Children are connected to and contribute to their world.
• Children have a strong sense of well-being.
• Children are confident and involved learners.
• Children are effective commuicators.  ²⁷³

These five outcomes link the learning outcomes from the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards Levels 1 and 2. They provide a shared language for all early childhood professionals and families to use when planning for a child's learning and development.  ²⁷³

The Victorian Framework acknowledges that play is crucial for children's learning and development.  It has been developed to encourage play, fun and enjoyment of learning.  Early childhood professionals recognise that learning is an active process that must involve children's engagement and interactions with adults and peers to support children's learning and development.  Play is essential to stimulate and integrate a wide range of children's intellectual, physical social and creative abilities.   ²⁷³

Further information is available online. 

5.1.3 Optional/elective subjects

Not applicable at this level of education. 

5.1.4 Formulation of curriculum

General/National

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) has been developed collaboratively by the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments with substantial input from the early childhood sector and early childhood academics.  The Framework incorporates feedback from an extensive consultation process, including two national symposiums, national public consultation forums, focus groups, an online forum and case-study trials. ²⁶⁹  

5.1.5 Key skills

General/national

In the year before compulsory education begins, the Preparatory Year as it is often known, the focus is on the overall development of the child and the curriculum is linked to the primary curriculum. Learning experiences are based on the skills students bring to school and are built around literacy, mathematics, physical skills, and personal and social skills in preparation for Year 1 of primary school. ¹⁵¹

The new Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) has five learning outcomes which are designed to capture the integrated and complex learnings and the development of all children across the birth to five age range.  They are:

• Children have a strong sense of identity.
• Chuldren are connected with and contribute to their world.
• Chidlren have a strong sense of well-being.
• Children are confident and involved learners.
• Children are effective communicators. ²⁷⁰   

5.1.6 Curriculum materials

Learning materials are prepared by a variety of agents including the curriculum sections of education departments, academics, commercial publishers and teachers' subject associations. In a significant development in 1990 ⁴² - although similar bodies had existed previously under different guises - ⁷⁰ the State and Federal Education Ministers established the Curriculum Corporation, a semi-autonomous body with a charter to develop curriculum materials on a commercial basis. In general, schools and individual teachers have a great deal of independence in the selection of learning materials, ⁴² and textbooks are not usually approved by an external authority prior to being used in schools. ⁵⁵ 

In June 2010, the Curriculum Corporation merged with 'education.au' (the Ministerial company which serves as Australia's information and communciation technology agency) to form Education Services Australia Limited.  ²⁵⁶

National and state frameworks and projects are normally accompanied by support materials and teacher guides. These continue to be mainly in printed form, since this is the only universally accessible form, but videos, CD-ROMs and computer software for both teacher and student use are becoming more common. Support services are also making increasing use of the Internet. It is assumed that materials will more and more be in electronic form, but the pace of this change is limited by the provision of hardware in schools. Printed material includes pages that can be photocopied. ³³

The great bulk of material for students is bought by parents at commercial prices. Occasionally, a government-funded project provides student material free for reproduction by schools. ³³

Queensland

Whilst there are no centralised procedures for adopting curriculum materials in any State or Territory in Australia, some elements of centralisation are found in Queensland. A network of teachers provides reviews of recommended curriculum resources to AccessED, a branch of Education Queensland, which disseminates this information to schools on a searchable database known as "Classroom Resource Reviews".

The Queensland Education Department (Education Queensland) also launched an online learning website early in 2002.  The Learning Place, which aims to be a gateway to online learning for teachers and students, offers access to the latest software, online discussion forums and curriculum resources.  It is accessible at http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace 

Victoria

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework is supported by a number of implementation guides, developed in partnership with the early childhood profession. They provide detailed practice examples, case studies and guidance about the Practice Principles for Learning and Development.  They have been developed for a range of audiences, including families, early childhood educators working in a range of settings, and early childhood professionals more broadly.   ²⁷³ 

• Previous
• Next
• Section Contents