Developing an educational program
The new NSW Curriculum website supports home schooling parents developing educational programs. See the materials you can access.
Developing an educational program
Support materials for home schooling parents include advice for home schooling parents on how to:
- develop an educational program using the new syllabus structure
- use syllabus outcomes
- use Content Access Points to support children with disability.
Developing an individual educational program
Educational programs reflect each individual child’s interests, needs and ability. As a parent, you may identify elements within a previously used program that also suit another child. You can reuse this program, with changes to ensure it meets another child’s interests, needs and ability.
You will need to demonstrate that your educational program is based on the current syllabus documents. Under the Curriculum Reform some syllabus documents have been replaced however you will find some elements within new syllabus documents that remain similar. You may find that many of your resources can also continue to be used.
Supporting children with disability K–6
For the first time in NSW, the new K–6 curriculum includes specific content for students with significant intellectual disability. Access content points support these children as they work towards Early Stage 1 outcomes.
Access content points are provided for each of the outcomes in Early Stage 1. Parents can choose to use the access content points on their own, or in combination with the content for each outcome. If children are able to access outcomes in the syllabus, they should not require the access content points.
Developing an educational program using the new syllabus structure
Stage statements are not included in syllabuses revised under the Curriculum Reform.
Outcomes in the new syllabuses have been written to be:
- clear and concise
- provide clear direction to teachers, students and parents about the intended learning.
You may now find the outcomes easier to use and more helpful in guiding your educational program and planning.
The content that accompanies each outcome now provides:
- some very specific and clear direction about the intended learning
- sequences for building foundational skills in English and Mathematics.
The NSW Curriculum provides examples and teaching advice. Access these to support your understanding of each outcome.
Using outcomes when designing an educational program
Syllabus outcomes provide a more detailed description of the knowledge, understanding, and skills expected to be acquired by most children by the end of a stage of learning. The outcomes are also accompanied by a series of content points. These help to demonstrate the type of learning that you may wish to cover when addressing an outcome.
You can use syllabus focus areas, outcomes and related content to anchor or shape your child’s educational program to address their learning needs. Include a variety of learning activities, strategies and resources.
The outcomes are also a very direct way you may monitor your child’s progress and achievement. By using the outcomes to track progress, you are able to:
- identify outcomes that you may wish to revisit
- consider alternative ways you can support your child’s learning in that area.
The NESA Syllabus Overviews for Home Schooling Parents provide additional information from the syllabuses. You may like to use these, along with the outcomes, when preparing your educational program for your child. This will assist you to demonstrate that your program is based on relevant NESA syllabuses.
Accessing more than 1 stage
You can draw on outcomes above and below stages to meet the learning needs of your child. For example, while you may largely use Early Stage 1 syllabuses for your 6 year old child, you may decide to draw on outcomes from other stages depending on your assessment of their learning needs.
Integrating outcomes
Many connections exist between the various areas within, and across, subjects.
For example:
- mathematical concepts are often interrelated or interdependent
- there are many connections that can be drawn between the areas of oral language, reading and writing in English.
The outcomes on the NSW Curriculum include some examples of:
- related outcomes
- content that could be addressed in parallel.
The suggested connections are not an exhaustive list of the ways that these things are related or could be taught.
Home schooling families engaging with new syllabus documents can access information on other syllabus connections. This may assist when combining outcomes from several syllabuses across subjects.
Commercial providers
As the parent responsible for home schooling your child, you are responsible for ensuring that your child’s educational program is based on current, relevant NESA syllabuses.
If you have decided to use a commercial program, you will need to ensure that it is based on the current, relevant NESA syllabuses. If you are uncertain if the commercial provider has made the necessary changes to their programs in response to the NSW Curriculum Reform, then you may wish to contact them to confirm if they have, and will continue to, align their resources to the new NESA syllabuses.