Visual Arts 7–10 Syllabus (2003)
Find out more about the Visual Arts 7–10 Syllabus (2003) and access teaching and learning support materials.
New syllabus implemented from 2027
The new Visual Arts 7–10 Syllabus (2024) is to be implemented from 2027.
• 2025 and 2026 – Plan and prepare to teach the new syllabus
• 2027 – Start teaching the new syllabus
School sectors are responsible for implementing syllabuses and are best placed to provide schools with specific guidance and information on implementation given their understanding of their individual contexts.
Detailed implementation information, including key features and resources, is available on the Creative Arts syllabus development page.
About the course
The study of visual arts enables young people to develop an interest in and enjoyment of investigating the world through the ideas, aesthetic and contexts of artists and their work in a broad range of forms, media and styles. Through critical reflection and acquiring understanding, knowledge and skills, students respond by creatively developing their own ideas and artworks.
Visual Arts provides opportunities for students to enjoy the making and studying of art. It builds an understanding of the role of art in all forms of media, both in the contemporary and historical world, and enables students to represent their ideas and interests in artworks. Visual Arts enables students to become informed about, understand and write about their contemporary world.
The Visual Arts Years 7–10 syllabus includes Life Skills outcomes and content for students with special education needs.
Students learn about the pleasure and enjoyment of making different kinds of artworks in 2D, 3D and/or 4D forms. They learn to represent their ideas and interests with reference to contemporary trends and how artists, including painters, sculptors, architects, designers, photographers and ceramists, make artworks.
Students learn about how art is shaped by different beliefs, values and meanings by exploring artists and artworks from different times and places and relationships in the artworld between the artist – artwork – world – audience. They also explore how their own lives and experiences can influence their artmaking and critical and historical studies.
Students learn to make artworks using a range of materials and techniques in 2D, 3D and 4D forms, including traditional and more contemporary forms, site-specific works, installations, video and digital media and other ICT forms, to build a body of work over time. They learn to develop their research skills, approaches to experimentation and how to make informed personal choices and judgements. They learn to record procedures and activities about their artmaking practice in their Visual Arts diary.
They learn to investigate and respond to a wide range of artists and artworks in artmaking, critical and historical studies. They also learn to interpret and explain the function of and relationships in the artworld between the artist – artwork – world – audience to make and study artworks.
Board Developed Course
Course number(s):
- 2060 Visual Arts 200 hours
- 2061 Visual Arts 100 hours
- 2062 Visual Arts Life Skills 200 hours
- 2063 Visual Arts Life Skills 100 hours
Exclusions: Students may not access both the Visual Arts Years 7–10 outcomes and content and the Visual Arts Life Skills outcomes and content.
The Visual Arts Years 7–10 Syllabus contains both Mandatory and Elective courses.
Mandatory course
The Mandatory course is taught as a coherent study of 100 hours, not spread over several years. This is a requirement for eligibility for the award of the Record of School Achievement (RoSA).
Elective course
The Elective course can be studied for 100 or 200 hours in Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10).
Students are required to produce a body of work and keep a Visual Arts diary.
Information about curriculum requirements for the RoSA are available on Assessment Certification Examination (ACE).
Assessment information and support
Teaching and learning support
Use these support materials to guide and plan your teaching and assessment.
The Life Skills outcomes worksheet can be used to collect information on the outcomes that a student has achieved before recording them in Schools Online.