Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education review - How will it impact on NSW PDHPE teachers?
In conversations I have had with teachers over recent weeks about the Australian Curriculum Review, I have noticed a lot of apathy about engaging with the consultation process. The reason given by many of these teachers is that NSW have their own PDHPE syllabus, so the Australian Curriculum isn’t relevant in NSW. However, this is not the case.
NESA syllabuses include agreed Australian Curriculum content and content that clarifies the scope, breadth and depth of learning. The Australian Curriculum achievement standards underpin the syllabus outcomes and the Stage statements for Early Stage 1 to Stage 5. (NSW K-10 PDHPE syllabus, page 4)
In NSW, the Australian Curriculum is incorporated into K–10 syllabuses and is represented through codes and icons within syllabus documents. (NESA website, NSW and the Australian Curriculum)
The public consultation on the proposed revisions to the Australian Curriculum for Health and Physical Education provides NSW teachers of PDHPE with the opportunity to give feedback on proposed content that will inform the future revision of PDHPE syllabuses.
We strongly encourage all NSW teachers of PDHPE and school leaders to actively engage with the consultation process so we can ensure that teachers voices and views are strongly represented.
The Health and Physical Education consultation website is where you will find all the information and documentation you require to respond to the proposed revisions.
To give feedback, you need a copy of the proposed Australian Curriculum, which is available in three formats (see image below):
1. All elements consultation curriculum, which includes:
- introductory information – includes the rationale, aims, organisation of the learning area, key connections and key considerations
- curriculum content for all levels – includes year/band level descriptions, achievement standards, content descriptions and elaborations
2. Scope and sequence – with proposed revised achievement standards (stage statements in NSW syllabuses) and content descriptions (represented as outcomes and/or content in NSW syllabus – indicated by AC codes in brackets after content)
3. Comparative information – showing the current and proposed revisions to content descriptions and achievement standards only.
How to have your say on the proposed revisions
Step 1: Get to know the proposed revisions to the HPE curriculum
For ease of comparison between the NSW syllabus and Australian Curriculum it is suggested that teachers download the Comparative information document to compare the current version of achievement standards and content descriptions to the proposed revisions. You can then compare these to the corresponding outcomes or content in the NSW PDHPE syllabus.
Step 2: Download a copy of the survey questions
Download a copy of the survey so you know what you are going to be asked and you can decide how to respond before starting the online survey. Feedback can be submitted through the Australian Curriculum survey, which will ask you to respond to statements about the revised curriculum.
Step 3: Provide your feedback through the Australian Consultation Survey
Go to the Australian Curriculum Survey for Health and Physical Education and enter your feedback. Make sure you go right through to the end of the Survey and hit the submit button for your response to be considered. If you want to skip answering any of the questions, just select the “Don’t know” response.
For further information on the survey, including how to save and return to it, refer to the survey information sheet.
