education.vic.gov.au

Guidance on developing and implementing curriculum programs Foundation to 10

The following guidance is provided to support schools to develop and implement quality school-based curriculum programs across Foundation to Level 10.

Note: This guidance is for curriculum programs for Foundation to Level 10. For information on senior secondary curriculum, please see the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) webpages:

VCAA F-10 curriculum planning guidelines

The VCAA provides the F-10 Revised Curriculum Planning and Reporting GuidelinesExternal Link to support schools in the design and delivery of curriculum programs. These Guidelines acknowledge the need to approach key stages of school differently, given the diverse learning needs from early childhood to secondary school. The minimum requirements at each learning stage are summarised:

Learning stages

  • The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s Curriculum Planning and Reporting Guidelines (VCAA Guidelines) for the Foundation Stage (Prep–Year 2), require schools to focus on 5 curriculum areas:

    • a structured teaching and learning program in English at each year level
    • a structured teaching and learning program in Mathematics at each year level
    • substantial attention to Health and Physical Education
    • substantial attention to The Arts
    • substantial attention to Personal and Social Capability

    In addition, the VCAA Guidelines for the Foundation Stage require schools to have a learning program that also draws on the curriculum areas of:

    • Humanities (History and Geography)
    • Science
    • Technologies (Design and Digital Technologies)
    • Capabilities (Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Capability and Intercultural Capability)

    The Department of Education's Languages Education policy for the Foundation Stage also requires that schools must include provision of languages education across all year levels, delivered by a VIT registered teacher or staff with permission to teach.

  • The VCAA Guidelines for the Breadth Stage (Years 3-8), requires schools to broaden their focus and ensure that in each 2-year band of schooling student learning includes each of these curriculum areas:

    • a structured program in English, Mathematics and Science at each year level
    • substantial attention to Health and Physical Education
    • a Humanities program that includes in each two-year band of schooling History, Geography and Civics and Citizenship and, from Year 5, Economics and Business
    • an Arts program that in Years 3–4 includes all 5 Arts disciplines and at Years 5–6 and 7–8 consists of at least 2 Arts disciplines, 1 from the Performing Arts and 1 from the Visual Arts
    • technologies program that includes in each 2-year band of schooling both Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies
    • a learning program that includes in each 2-year band of schooling each of the capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical, Intercultural, and Personal and Social Capability

    The department’s Languages Education policy for the Breadth Stage also requires that schools must include provision of languages education across all year levels, delivered by a VIT registered teacher or staff with permission to teach.

  • The VCAA Guidelines for the Pathways Stage (Years 9–10), require schools to ensure students a) receive a broad education and b) begin to plan their senior secondary and/or foundation secondary program of study, which they can commence in Year 10. Schools must provide:

    • a structured teaching and learning program in English, Mathematics and Science at each year level
    • a Health and Physical Education program
    • a Humanities program that includes in this band of schooling: History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business
    • an Arts program that includes in this band of schooling learning in at least 1 Arts discipline
    • a Technologies program that includes in this band of schooling both Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies
    • a learning program that includes in this band of schooling each of the capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical, Intercultural, and Personal and Social Capability

    The department’s Languages Education policy for the Pathways Stage also requires that schools must include provision of languages education across all year levels, delivered by a VIT registered teacher or staff with permission to teach.

    The school curriculum program must recognise that in these years of schooling some students begin to focus on areas of specialisation related to their future schooling and intended pathways beyond schooling.

The VCAA also provides an online Curriculum planning resourceExternal Link , which includes a self-assessment tool for schools and sample school-based curriculum plans. These resources support schools to develop curriculum programs that cater for all students and reflect the decisions, resources and priorities of the school. They involve 4 layers for schools to consider: school, curriculum area, year level and unit/lessons.

Schools are expected to align the design and delivery of school-based curriculum programs to advice provided by VCAA.

Resources

Framework for Improving Student Outcomes 2.0

Online supports for the Teaching and Learning and Assessment elements of FISO 2.0 are available on the Guidance and Resources tabs of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0) policy

Whole-school guide to curriculum planning

The department has produced a Whole-School Guide to Curriculum Planning (PDF)External Link to support teachers, instructional leaders and school leaders to plan and implement the curriculum at every layer of the school.

Using the FISO 2.0 improvement cycle, the guide presents a series of guiding questions and key actions to support planning for the whole school, for a curriculum area or year level, and for units and lessons.

The guide also provides links to an extensive range of resources, case studies and templates that schools can use when planning curriculum to improve student outcomes.

Other departmental guidance on curriculum development and implementation

Additional guidance is available to schools to support them to comply with departmental policies on curriculum program design and delivery.

Languages Education guidance includes the following topics:

  • What makes a quality language program
  • Start a new language program
  • Staffing a language program
  • Language assistants’ program
  • Language program funding, resources and support
  • Approaches to teaching languages
  • Complementary language providers
  • Promote learning a language
  • Languages data and research.

Holocaust Education guidance includes the following topics:

  • Why study the Holocaust
  • Characteristics of a quality Holocaust Education program
  • Overcoming barriers to quality provision.

Career Education resourcesExternal Link are available on the VCAA website and include the following topics:

  • What do students need to learn?
  • What can schools do?
  • Why does it matter?
  • Department of Education and Training support for career education.

Selecting Teaching and Learning Resources Guidelines include the following topics:

  • Overview
  • Questions to ask when selecting teaching and learning resources
  • Selecting films and computer games
  • Staging public events or school performances
  • Controversial topics
  • Resolving issues concerning objections to teaching and learning resources.
Guidance on developing and implementing curriculum programs across Foundation to Year 10

Reviewed 12 March 2024

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