Information Yearsfor parents
Foundation
1–2

Years 3–4

Years 5–6

Years 7–8

Years 9–10

Foundation

Years 3–4

Years 5–6

Years 7–8

Years 9–10

THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM– FOUNDATION YEAR
Years 1–2

THE AUSTRALIANCURRICULUM
The Australian Curriculum is designed todevelop:•

successful learners•

confident and creative individuals•

active and informed young people whoare ready to take their place in society.

It sets the goal for what all students should
learn as they progress through their school
life – wherever they live in Australia andwhatever school they attend.
The Australian Curriculum with its eightlearning areas provides a modern curriculumfor every student in Australia. Included in thecontent of learning areas are seven generalcapabilities intended to help prepare young
Australians to learn, live and work in the 21stcentury. There are three cross-curriculum
priorities that are also a focus across thelearning areas.
The Australian Curriculum
is flexible so thatteachers can plan thelearning for all theirstudents, also taking
into account their local
school community.

For more information,see our fact sheet:
The AustralianCurriculum – anoverview for parents.

THE FIRST
YEAR OFSCHOOLIn their first year ofschool, students
learn throughteaching interactions
with others,
experimentation,practice and playin the classroom
and school community.
Priority is given to literacy and numeracy
development as these are the foundations uponwhich further learning is built. Opportunities
to develop literacy and numeracy are foundin all subjects but particularly in English andMathematics. Learning in a classroom andbelonging to a school community are key tothe first year at school.
Each state and territory has a different name for the firstformal year of schooling such as ‘Reception’, ‘Kindergarten’‘Pre-Primary’ or ‘Prep’.

Foundation Year Learning AreasiceSchool cho

EnglishTechnologies
Humanities

Maths

The Arts
ScienceLanguages

EHealth & P1

Foundation

Years 1–2

Years 3–4

Years 5–6

Years 7–8

Years 9–10

Englishthat entertain and inform,
In the first year of school, students view, listen to and enjoy texts
create texts.  
such as picture books or, rhymes. They begin to learn to read and
Typically, students will:communicate with others in familiar situations
ularyread stories with one or more sentences, pictures and familiar vocab
recognise rhyming words, syllables and sounds
recognise letters and the mostcommon sounds the letters maket
text tha
Creates a

includes a

picturelisten to, read and view picture books,
stories, poetry, information books,
films and performances
write some words
recognise some words and develop
skills in ‘sounding out’ words

create their own texts such as giving
information orally or in writing;presenting a narrative, which may
include pictures.

Mathematics

hevents wit
Connects
he week.
days of t

In the first year of school, students develop a sense of number,order, sequence, pattern and position in relation to familiar
settings.
Typically, students will:connect numbers, their names and quantities up to 20

count numbers in sequences up to 20, continue patterns
and compare lengths of objects

use materials to model problems, sort objects and discussanswers

rder,Number, opattern,sequence,
positiongroup and sort shapes and objects

connect events with days of the week

develop an understanding of location words,
such as above, outside, left.

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Foundation

Years 1–2

Years 3–4

Years 5–6

Years 7–8

Years 9–10

Health and Physical Education
Students learn through active play, and practise fundamental
movement skills. They learn about how their body is growing
and changing, about their strengths, how to be healthy, safe
and active, and about respectful relationships with others.

Typically students will:

use their strengths to help others

name trusted people in their community, who can help
them stay safe and healthy

describe emotions of people who are happy, sad, excited, tired, angry,

scared or confused

move in different speeds and directions, be aware of others and follow

rulesgroup foods into ‘eat always’ and ‘eat sometimes’

play games from different cultures

move in time with a partner when music is played.

Humanities andSocial Sciences

By experimenting, practising andplaying infamiliar situations, students use their natural
curiosity to make sense of their wor
ld, and todevelop history and geography kno
wledgeand skills about people and places.

Typically, students will:

explore their personal world, incl
uding
personal and family histories

investigate places they and theirfamilies
live in and belong tofind out about other places throughstories told in books, or by family
members and otherpeople, and how people
feel about places
explore why places are
special and how students
and other people can carefor places.

Sciencen and observation,
Through exploratio
science works.
students learn hows
world to find answer
They explore theirto questions.
Typically, students

will:of living things
explore the needs
erties ofinvestigate the prop
everyday materials
our world, for
explore changes inr
example, the weathe
move.
explore how things

Identifies a place thatis special to them.

3FoundationYears 1–2

Years 3–4

Years 7–8

Years 9–10

Technologies

The Arts

Through exploration, design andproblemsolving, students learn how technolo
gies work.
Typically, students will:r experiences andStudents share theiemselves throughunderstanding of thd artworks.
exploring the arts anwill:
Typically, students

Years 5–6

in Design and Technologies

hers dance andin Dance, watch otnd them when they
respect those arou
are dancing
play to act out
in Drama, use roleories
familiar events or sta camera to record
in Media Arts, useview
images for others tounds whenin Music, explore sod making music
listening, singing an
ond to and create
in Visual Arts, respby drawing anda variety of artworks
painting.

design and create solutions tochallenges through guided play andby
safely using materials and equipm
ent

in Digital Technologies

work safely online, represent dat
a as
pictures, symbols and diagrams,
andsequence steps to solve simple problems.

ot t
able steps a
Use nce ste
sequLanguages

Creates artworks bydrawing and painting

language
opportunity to learn aStudents may have another than English.   
s will:the language, student
ing
rnlea
en
why,
allpicTyage
and patterns of a langu
msythrh,
ds
un
sote
ita
im
al
phrases, and non-verb
use simple words ands in familiar situations
communication strategie
ort.
words with visual supp
read and write simple

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To learn more about the Australian Curriculum, visit the ‘Parents’ section of the Australian Curriculum website.
For more information about your child, talk to your school.

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