Senior secondary curriculum

ACARA is responsible for the development of content and achievement standards for agreed senior secondary subjects. The senior secondary Australian Curriculum has been developed in accordance with design principles negotiated with states and territories. These specifications are included in ACARA’s Curriculum Design Paper v. 3.1 (PDF 340 kb).

State and territory curriculum, assessment and certification authorities are responsible for the structure and organisation of their senior secondary courses and determine how they integrate the Australian Curriculum content and achievement standards into their courses. They also determine the assessment and certification specifications for their courses that use the Australian Curriculum content and achievement standards, and any additional information, guidelines and rules to satisfy local requirements. Information about the integration and implementation plans for senior secondary in your state or territory is available in the Summary of the senior secondary Australian Curriculum advice document (PDF 86 kb). 

Development of the senior secondary Australian Curriculum

2010–2011

Report on the consultation on senior secondary subjects reviewed; conceptual models developed and refined for content (rationale, aims, units and content descriptions) and achievement standards; revisions drafted based on feedback from state and territory authorities, teachers and professional associations.

2012

Research and development on standards in equivalent subjects in states and territories undertaken; draft achievement standards developed for each subject; bilateral meetings to review the curriculum held with each state and territory curriculum authority; national public consultation including engagement with expert groups and key stakeholders.

The senior secondary curriculum was published in 2012 (English, Mathematics, Science, History) and 2013 (Geography).  For more information, visit the ‘Senior secondary curriculum’ section of the Australian Curriculum website.

Senior secondary subjects

English

The senior secondary Australian Curriculum: English includes four subjects designed to accommodate diverse learners and to complement and support learning across the curriculum. The subjects, which all include some common content, are:

  • English
  • English as an Additional Language or Dialect
  • Essential English
  • Literature.

Each senior secondary subject continues the development of knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing, and each includes the study of a wide range of texts to expand knowledge of language and culture, both contemporary and historical.

Mathematics

The senior secondary Australian Curriculum: Mathematics includes four senior secondary subjects. The subjects are differentiated, each focusing on meeting the learning needs of senior secondary students and their chosen senior secondary pathway. These subjects are:

  • Essential Mathematics
  • General Mathematics
  • Mathematical Methods
  • Specialist Mathematics.

Science

The senior secondary Australian Curriculum: Science was published in 2012.Visit the Australian Curriculum website to view the senior secondary Australian Curriculum: Science:

HASS: History. HASS: Geography

The senior secondary Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences comprises: