New Science 11–12 syllabuses

New Science 11–12 syllabuses are now available on the NSW Curriculum website.

Schools can plan and prepare to teach the new 11–12 syllabuses from 2025. The new Biology, Biology Life Skills, Physics and Physical World Science Life Skills 11–12 syllabuses will be implemented in NSW schools in 2027. The new Chemistry, Chemical World Science Life Skills, Earth and Environmental Science and Earth and Environmental Science Life Skills 11–12 syllabuses will be implemented in NSW schools in 2028.

Key features:

• The new Science 11–12 syllabuses emphasise the core concepts of the scientific disciplines and provide students with valuable opportunities to connect their learning to real-world applications. Content has been consolidated into 7 focus areas in each discipline, compared to 8 in the current syllabuses.
• Essential content has been clarified to make the expected knowledge, understanding and skills explicit and includes authentic opportunities for students to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ scientific Knowledge and Practices.
• Scientific investigations and depth studies provide opportunities for students to deepen their scientific understanding of the course concepts in each discipline and apply their knowledge to a range of contexts.
• For the first time there is a dedicated Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus aligned to each of the disciplines. Previously, content related to each science discipline was a part of a stream within the Science Life Skills Stage 6 Syllabus. The new Life Skills syllabuses include opportunities for students to apply learning in an area of personal or local interest or relevance through in-context focus areas.

Schools have access to support materials including teaching advice on the NSW Curriculum website to assist with implementation. More resources will be made available over time as well as online.