Last updated: 30/01/2025

Policy statement

Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K-12

Implementation date: 01/01/2006
Reference number: PD-2005-0290-01-V10.0.0
Publicly available: Yes
Policy cluster: Teaching and learning

Curriculum policy standards

Outlines the requirements for all NSW public schools to plan curriculum, develop programs, assess and report to parents in line with the Education Act 1990 (NSW), the NESA syllabuses, credentialing requirements, obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and NESAs Registration Process for the Government Schooling System Manual.

Audience

All staff employed in NSW public schools, operational directorates and department offices.

Changes since previous update

Version	Date	Description of changes	Approved by
V10.0.0	30/01/2025	Updated under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, including conversion into new template and consolidating existing instructions previously provided in the Homework, Environmental education for schools, Literacy K-12, and Numeracy K-12 policies.	Executive Director, Curriculum and Reform

About the policy

Policy requirements

1.1. Curriculum planning, programming, assessing and reporting

1.1.1. Schools plan curriculum and develop teaching programs that are consistent with the Education Act 1990, Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, as well as the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) syllabuses and credentialing requirements

1.1.2. Curriculum planning, programming, assessing and reporting to parents Kindergarten to Year 12 will meet the department’s Curriculum policy standards.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Adjustment	Measures or actions taken in relation to teaching, learning and assessment that enable a student with disability to access syllabus outcomes and content on the same basis as their peers. Adjustments reflect the learning and support needs of the individual student.
Assessment	The broad name for collecting and evaluating evidence of a student's learning. It is any method used to establish where students are in their learning so that teaching can be differentiated, and further learning progress can be monitored over time.
Assessment plan	A plan indicating how students’ performance in each key learning area is assessed, monitored and recorded. This should include the outcomes being assessed, timing, frequency and nature of the assessments to take place.
Board Developed Courses	The majority of courses in NSW are Board Developed Courses, including Life Skills courses and vocational education and training (VET) Industry Curriculum Frameworks. Life Skills outcomes and content are included in the syllabuses for all Board Developed Courses with Years 7 to 10 outcomes and content. Schools must use the current syllabus for any Board Developed Preliminary (Year 11) or HSC (Year 12) course they teach.
Collaborative curriculum planning (for students with disability)	The process to determine the most appropriate curriculum options and adjustments for a student with disability.
Content endorsed courses	Cater to the learning needs of students in specific areas of need, not served by Board developed courses. These NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) developed courses are delivered by schools in Years 7 to 12.
Curriculum	A plan for learning based on mandated and approved syllabus documents and current department policies and procedures. The NSW curriculum refers to the syllabuses and support resources teachers use to implement the syllabuses.
Differentiation	A targeted process that includes forward planning, programming and instruction. It involves the use of teaching, learning and assessment strategies that are: fair and flexible provide an appropriate level of challenge engage students in learning in meaningful ways.
Literacy	Involves students developing their understanding and application of knowledge and skills to communicate and comprehend effectively. Literacy is fundamental to a student’s ability to learn at school and engage in the world around them.
Numeracy	To use mathematical ideas effectively to participate in daily life and make sense of the world. It incorporates the use of numerical, spatial, graphical, statistical and algebraic concepts and skills in a variety of contexts and involves the critical evaluation, interpretation, application and communication of mathematical information in a range of practical situations.
School Developed Board Endorsed Courses	School Developed Board Endorsed Courses (SDBECs) are designed by school(s) when the curriculum needs of their students cannot be accommodated by: Board Developed Courses Content Endorsed Courses (CECs) Vocational Education and Training Board Endorsed Courses (VET BECs).
Statewide syllabus standards	Described by the components of a syllabus. The components that contribute to teachers’ understandings of statewide syllabus standards include syllabus outcomes and syllabus content.
Syllabus	A mandated document produced by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) to inform teachers of what they are required to teach students and why. Each syllabus includes the rationale, aim, outcomes, course, specific content and any mandated assessment requirements. After receiving the syllabus from NESA, schools then use this to develop teaching programs.
Teaching programs	A record of planned learning experiences based on syllabus outcomes. They include a variety of teaching, learning and embedded assessment activities, strategies and resources to address the learning needs of all students.
Vocational education and training (VET) board endorsed courses	Must be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO). There is provision for the endorsement of VET Board Endorsed Courses for Stage 5 and Stage 6 in the following, which are not already available in the HSC curriculum: industry areas qualifications.

Roles and responsibilities

Teachers:

implement the curriculum policy standards through their curriculum planning, programming, assessing and reporting to parents.

Principals, school executive and delegated teachers:

supervise the implementation of the curriculum policy standards in schools, reporting their evaluations to their Director, Educational Leadership.

Directors, Educational Leadership:

monitor and support the implementation of the curriculum policy standards in schools and report to their executive directors.

Executive Directors, Public Schools:

collect information to inform the Directors, Primary Curriculum and Secondary Curriculum for evaluation of the curriculum policy standards.

The Leader, Primary Curriculum and the Leader, Secondary Curriculum:

provide advice on interpreting and implementing the curriculum policy standards.

The Directors, Primary Curriculum, and Secondary Curriculum:

ensure the currency of the curriculum policy standards and support material
provide oversight of the curriculum policy standards and implementation including advice and assistance to curriculum support staff on policy development, implementation and evaluation
notify staff of changes to the curriculum policy standards
monitor the evaluation of the curriculum policy standards and will report annually, or as required, to the Executive Director, Curriculum.

Standards

Curriculum planning and programming will account for the needs of every student. A school’s inclusive curriculum planning and teaching practice should promote and support access to educational programs that cater to diverse student needs. This includes culturally responsive teaching and learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and appropriate adjustments, support and accessible learning opportunities for students with disability and for students with identified learning needs.

Curriculum options and adjustments for students with disability are negotiated through NSW Education Standards Authority’s collaborative curriculum planning to reflect student learning and support needs.

1. Curriculum planning and programming

1.1 Kindergarten to Year 6

Schools are to provide teaching programs, based on NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) syllabuses, to address each learning area in each year of schooling. In primary schools, the 6 key learning areas (KLAs) are:

creative arts
English
human society and its environment (incorporating history and geography)
mathematics
personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE)
science and technology.

In providing curriculum, schools are to ensure that greater priority is given to English and mathematics.

Schools have flexibility in how they deliver teaching programs, provided that:

approximately 50% of time is allocated for English and mathematics, and 40% of time for the other KLAs and sport
as part of the 40% allocation, schools are to include 150 minutes per week for planned moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This must include physical activity as part of PDHPE, a minimum of 60 minutes for sport in Years 3 to 6, weekly sport for Kindergarten to Year 2 and daily opportunities to be physically active
literacy and numeracy skills, knowledge and understandings must be taught in all key learning areas, using a comprehensive range of evidence-based approaches
if a primary school offers a language, they must use the appropriate NESA language syllabus for planning, programming and assessing
provision is made for special religious education and special education in ethics in each primary year, where authorised personnel and approved providers are available
content is based on syllabus outcomes, including a variety of teaching strategies to promote engagement and the quality of student learning, as well as teacher registration and evaluation
if schools implement integrated teaching programs, they must be able to demonstrate they have met the time allocations for each of the KLAs.

1.1.1 Homework for Kindergarten to Year 6

Schools must develop homework guidelines that communicate the school’s position on providing homework for students. Setting homework is not compulsory.

Homework guidelines must be:

relevant to student needs
developed in consultation with key school community stakeholders including staff, parents or carers and students
communicated to staff, parents or carers and students, particularly at the time of student enrolment.

1.2 Years 7 to 10

In delivering curriculum in Years 7 to 10, schools will meet the NESA requirements for students to gain the Record of School Achievement (RoSA). To ensure students are eligible for RoSA, schools must refer to the requirements, rules and procedures as detailed in NESA’s ACE Rules.

The department updates schools annually about RoSA requirements (refer to ‘RoSA monitoring advice’ on Record of School Achievements (RoSA).

In addition to NESA’s mandatory curriculum requirements for the RoSA (ACE 5.1.1 Meeting mandatory curriculum requirements for the RoSA), the department mandates additional time for the study of English, mathematics and science, as well as additional studies (electives) as shown in Table 1.

Board Developed Courses, Content Endorsed Courses or Stage 5 VET Board Endorsed Courses can be credentialed on the RoSA if they are taught during Stage 5 and in accordance with syllabus and indicative time requirements (ACE 5.1.3 Elective Years 7-10 curriculum).

To meet the department’s requirement for additional studies (electives):

students study 400 hours of electives in Stage 5
at least 200 of these hours must be Board Developed Courses, Content Endorsed Courses or Stage 5 VET Board Endorsed Courses, which are credentialed on the RoSA
the remaining 200 hours are either Board Developed Courses, Content Endorsed Courses, Stage 5 VET Board Endorsed Courses or Department approved elective courses.

If a school chooses to deliver a department approved elective course, students and parents or carers must be consulted and understand that the course will not be listed on the RoSA.

Schools must:

provide teaching programs, based on NESA syllabuses where available, for each subject or course in each year of schooling. Teaching programs, for all courses where content is based on syllabus outcomes, must include teaching strategies to promote engagement and the quality of student learning as well as teacher registration and evaluation
if implementing integrated teaching programs, be able to demonstrate they have met the minimum required hours for each of the learning areas
teach literacy and numeracy skills, knowledge and understandings in all key learning areas, using a comprehensive range of evidence-based approaches
make provision for special religious education in each of Years 7 to 10, where authorised personnel from approved providers are available.

Table 1 summarises the combined NESA and department minimum requirements for government schools when providing curriculum.

1.2.1 Curriculum time requirements by learning area, Years 7 to 10 – Table 1

Table 1 Minimum curriculum time requirements for each learning area across Years 7 to 10

Learning area and year groups	For curriculum planning – policy requirement in hours
English (Years 7 to 10)	500 hours
Mathematics (Years 7 to 10)	500 hours
Science (Years 7 to 10)	500 hours
Human society and its environment (HSIE) (Years 7 to 10)	400 hours distributed as: Geography (Years 7 to 8) – 100 hours History (Years 7 to 8) – 100 hours Geography (Years 9 to 10) – 100 hours History (Years 9 to 10) – 100 hours
Languages (Years 7 to 10)	100 hours in one language in a continuous one-year period
Technology mandatory (Years 7 to 8)	200 hours
Music (Years 7 to 10)	100 hours
Visual arts (Years 7 to 10)	100 hours
Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) (Years 7 to 10)	300 hours (delivered across Years 7 to 10)
Planned physical activity	150 minutes per week (this can be a combination of weekly sport; personal development, health and physical education; and other planned physical activity).
Additional studies (electives) (Years 9 to 10)	400 hours At least 200 hours of Board Developed, Content Endorsed or Stage 5 VET Board Endorsed courses. The other 200 hours can be made up of the above, or department approved elective courses.

1.2.2 Homework for Years 7 to 10

Schools must develop homework guidelines that communicate the school’s position on providing homework for students. Setting homework is not compulsory.

Homework guidelines must be:

relevant to student needs
developed in consultation with key school community stakeholders including staff, parents or carers and students
communicated to staff, parents or carers and students, particularly at the time of student enrolment.

1.3 Years 11 to 12

The department updates schools annually about Higher School Certificate (HSC) requirements (refer to Stage 6 – monitoring implementation and support).

Teaching programs, based on NESA syllabuses, must:

include teaching strategies to promote student engagement and the quality of student learning
be provided for each subject or course in each year of schooling to ensure students meet the HSC award requirements.

In addition to NESA requirements for students to gain a HSC, schools:

must provide students with the 25-hour Life Ready course.
must provide evidence-based literacy and numeracy instruction through curriculum to enable students to demonstrate the HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy
are encouraged to provide Years 11 and 12 students with weekly access to a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity, including sport, where possible
are not required to provide special religious education.

1.3.1 Homework for Years 11 to 12

Schools must develop homework guidelines that communicate the school’s position on providing homework for students. Setting homework is not compulsory.

Homework guidelines must be:

relevant to student needs
developed in consultation with key school community stakeholders including staff, parents and/or carers and students
communicated to staff, parents or carers and students, particularly at the time of student enrolment.

1.4 Complying with legislation and NESA requirements

Under the Education Act 1990, all schools are required to maintain documentation that provides evidence of compliance with NESA syllabuses and the NSW Registration Process for the Government Schooling System Manual.

Schools must maintain documentation that reflects the obligations to students under the:

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005
Multicultural NSW Act 2000, which contains the principles of multiculturalism and the framework for the department’s Multicultural education policy.

1.4.1 Kindergarten to Year 6 (Early Stage 1 to Stage 3)

The following essential elements must be included in a school’s documented curriculum:

timetables for each year/class showing allocation of time and teachers for each KLA
the scope and sequence of learning/units of work that address the outcomes of NESA syllabuses for each KLA for each year of schooling
teaching programs for each unit of work for each year/class that correspond to the scope and sequence of learning/units of work including registration and evaluation
an assessment plan indicating how students’ performance in each KLA is assessed, monitored and recorded
an overview of the process for reporting student achievement
resources and equipment available for the courses provided in each KLA.

Schools must demonstrate evidence of alignment between NESA syllabuses and the school’s curriculum documentation, including scope and sequences, teaching programs and assessment plan(s).

A school’s inclusive curriculum planning and teaching practice should promote and support access to educational programs that cater to diverse student needs. This includes culturally responsive teaching and learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as appropriate adjustments, support and accessible learning opportunities for students with disability and for students with identified learning needs.

Schools do not need to routinely maintain work samples as they should be able to draw upon the day-to-day work of students if selected for a Curriculum Policy Monitoring meeting or NESA short notice inspection.

1.4.2 Years 7 to 10 (Stages 4 and 5)

The following essential elements must be included in a school’s documented curriculum:

a policy and procedure to monitor each student’s compliance with the RoSA eligibility requirements
timetables showing the allocation of time and teachers for each year/class
evidence of the total number of hours allocated to each course
the scope and sequence of learning/units of work for each course, mapped against the outcomes and content of the relevant NESA syllabus, and including registration and evaluation
teaching programs for each unit of work for each Year/class that correspond to the scope and sequence of learning/units of work
an overview of the process for reporting student achievement
resources and equipment available for each course provided
assessment procedures that

— comply with the requirements outlined in the ACE Rules, NESA official notices and department memorandums

— include school procedures for allocating grades in each Year 10 course

— confirm the school has procedures for disability provisions

— set out requirements to retain student work samples to support grade allocation as required by NESA for the RoSA.

Schools must demonstrate evidence of alignment between NESA syllabuses and the school’s curriculum documentation, including scope and sequences, teaching programs and assessment plan(s).

1.4.3 Years 11 to 12 (Stage 6)

The department updates schools annually about Higher School Certificate (HSC) requirements, (refer to Stage 6 – monitoring implementation and support).

The following essential elements must be included in a school’s documented curriculum:

a policy and procedure to monitor each student’s compliance with the HSC eligibility requirements
timetables showing the allocation of time and teachers for each year/class
evidence of the total number of hours allocated to each Year 11 and Year 12 course
courses of study for each student each year that comply with a pattern of study for Year 11 and Year 12, as described in the ACE Rules for candidates for the HSC (ACE 12.1.1 NESA's pattern of study)
a scope and sequence of learning/units of work for each course, mapped against the outcomes and content of the relevant NESA syllabus, and including registration and evaluation
teaching programs for each unit of work for each Year/class that correspond to the scope and sequence of learning/units of work
assessment policies and procedures that

— comply with the requirements as documented on the NESA website, ACE Rules, NESA official notices and department memorandums

— include statements of school procedures for the allocation of grades in Year 11 courses, and in Year 12 English Studies and Mathematics Standard 1

— set out NESA’s requirements to retain student work samples to support grade allocation

confirmation that the school has made disability provisions in accordance with the NESA and ACE Rules.

Particular documentation required in relation to Year 11 and Year 12 assessment includes:

written advice about the school’s requirements for assessment in each course, detailing the number and types of assessment tasks, components, weightings and scheduling of the tasks
marking, recording and advising students of their achievement in assessment tasks
administrative arrangements regarding absence from an assessment task, late submission of tasks due to illness or misadventure, managing malpractice and invalid or unreliable tasks
student appeals against assessment rankings
‘N’ Award (non-completion) warnings and determinations
an overview of the process for reporting student achievement
resources and equipment available for each course provided.

Schools should also keep records of changes to assessment schedules and any other changes to administrative arrangements, including notifying students about these changes.

Supporting information

NESA provides Information on Programming, which enables teachers to plan for delivering syllabus content and improve student learning outcomes.
The department provides resources and professional learning to assist in Planning, programming and assessing K-12.
The 5 priorities for improving literacy and numeracy identify the most important levers to improve student outcomes.
Information, advice and resources are available to support student achievement of the HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy. The National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions support teaching and learning using current and new NSW syllabuses.
To help schools support students learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D), theEAL/D Education EAL/D Education resource provides advice and targeted resources.
NESAs Collaborative curriculum planning outlines the process to determine the most appropriate curriculum options and adjustments for students with disability.
NESAs ACE Rules provide current, easily accessible information about the rules and procedures set by NESA for NSW secondary education.
The department provides guidance for schools when developing monitoring procedures for the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) (refer to RoSA monitoring advice).
The department provides support for Years 11 and 12 syllabus implementation through its annually updated Stage 6 – monitoring implementation and support.
Life Ready is a mandatory 25-hour course designed to prepare and support senior students as they encounter situations related to health and safety.
Support materials are available to assist schools in offering Special Religious Education (SRE) and Special Education in Ethics (SEE) in their school.
Essential information for planning an activity where students are physically active is available in the Specific sport and physical activity guidelines.
Support is available to help schools develop homework guidelines to suit their school context.

2. Assessing student learning

Schools must undertake assessment to inform all students’ learning. This will include assessment for students with disability and students learning English as an additional language or dialect.

Schools assess to identify what students know and can do at a point in time. Ongoing assessment enables teachers to provide feedback to students and guide teachers’ continuing provision of appropriate learning tasks.

Adjustments to assessment tasks may be required for students with disability. This should be consistent with adjustments made to support the student’s learning.

Differentiation and appropriate language support must be provided for students learning English as an additional language or dialect when planning and implementing assessment tasks.

For further assessment advice, refer to section 1.4 Complying with legislation and NESA requirements.

Supporting information

For practical assessment advice for teachers and school leaders, refer to the effective assessment practice guide. It is a reference tool designed to be used at the point of need.
For a useful overview of assessment in the classroom, refer to NESA’s Assessment and Reporting.
For current, easily accessible information about the rules and procedures for NSW secondary education, refer to NESA’s ACE Rules.
To strengthen knowledge and understanding of effective assessment, consistent teacher judgement and moderation processes, the department provides resources on Assessment practices.
To access information for teachers about students’ literacy and numeracy skills and inform teaching and learning, as well as communication with parents and carers about student progress, refer to the department’s Assessment resources.
For information about adjustments for students with disability refer to Adjustments to teaching and learning.
Information and advice for schools in how to best support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander EAL/D students for whom Standard Australian English (SAE) is an additional dialect refer to Universal Resources – Aboriginal Education.
To assist teachers of English language learners, EAL/D Education provides advice and support materials for schools.

3. Reporting to parents

Schools must provide parents or carers of all students with a formal written report on their child's learning twice a year. The report will:

be provided in digital or written format
use plain English
provide information on a student’s learning in each of the KLAs or subjects, as described in 3.1 Learning areas
compare the student’s achievement in each KLA or subject against statewide syllabus standards using a scale, as defined in 3.2 Comparing student achievement against statewide syllabus standards
include teacher comments, identifying areas of student strength and areas for further development
contain information about the student’s attendance at school
provide information about student achievement in relation to school programs that extend or are additional to syllabus requirements
provide information about the student’s social development and commitment to learning.

Following the provision of the formal report to parents, schools must provide the opportunity for parents and/or carers to meet with the child’s teacher/s to discuss all aspects of the report and for the school to give constructive advice about supporting the child’s further progress at school.

3.1 Learning areas

Schools must report on the KLAs, as outlined in this section.

3.1.1 Kindergarten (Early Stage 1)

Schools will report, using teacher comments, on the 6 KLAs of:

English
mathematics
creative arts
human society and its environment (which includes history and geography)
personal development, health and physical education
science and technology.

For schools that provide students with a languages program of 2 or more hours per week, the report will include languages.

Reporting must focus on individual student learning progress that supports parents or carers to understand how their child is progressing and what can be done to support their learning growth.

3.1.2 Years 1 to 6 (Stage 1 to Stage 3)

Schools will report on the 6 KLAs of:

English
mathematics
creative arts
human society and its environment (which includes history and geography)
personal development, health and physical education
science and technology.

For schools that provide students with a languages program of 2 or more hours per week, the report will include languages.

Teacher comments are to be provided for English, mathematics and a general comment only.

Reporting must focus on individual student learning progress that supports parents or carers to understand how their child is progressing and what can be done to support their learning growth.

3.1.3 Years 7 to 10 (Stages 4 and 5)

Schools will report, including teacher comments, on subjects or courses studied in the 8 KLAs of:

English
mathematics
science
human society and its environment
creative arts
languages
personal development, health and physical education
technology and applied studies.

Reports must provide feedback on individual student learning progress that supports parents and/or carers to understand how their child is progressing and what can be done to support their learning growth.

3.1.4 Years 11 to 12 (Stage 6)

Schools will report, including teacher comments, on each of the courses studied. Reports will show information for components of each course. For vocational education and training (VET) courses, schools will report on competency achievement. VET courses are competency-based where assessment of competencies is standards-referenced.

3.1.5 English as an additional language or dialect students (Kindergarten to Year 10)

For Kindergarten English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) learners, schools will:

provide a sentence stating that the student has been identified as an EAL/D learner
report on how their English language learning has been supported
report on their progression in learning English.

For students in Years 1 to 10 English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) learners, schools will:

report on the overall English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) Learning Progression phase for those students identified as EAL/D learners.
report on how their English language learning has been supported
report on their progression in learning English.

3.2 Comparing student achievement against statewide syllabus standards

Schools must report on how students achieve against the statewide syllabus standards, as outlined in this section.

3.2.1 Kindergarten

Reports will describe how a child’s achievement compares with statewide syllabus standards through teacher comments.

Schools are not required to use the 5-point achievement scale for reporting on student achievement in Kindergarten.

3.2.2 Years 1 to 6 (Stage 1 to Stage 3)

Schools will use the 5-point achievement scale (Table 2) to determine an overall achievement grade for students in Years 1 to 6. Achievement is judged in relation to statewide syllabus standards. The 5-point achievement scale is to be used to determine grades in all KLAs.

In the formal written reports to parents or carers, schools will use either:

the 5-point achievement scale in Table 2 below, or
the plain English version, available on Reporting to parents.

Table 2 5-point achievement scale

Describe this achievement level	Using this word	And/or this letter
The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.	Outstanding	A
The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.	High	B
The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.	Sound	C
The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.	Basic	D
The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.	Limited	E

Where the word summaries are used, the report will contain a statement to explain that the 5-point achievement scale used in this report equates to the A to E scale.

When using the 5-point scale to report student achievement in Years 1 to 6:

the full range of grades can be used at any point in time in relation to what has been taught
the grade reported should reflect student achievement in relation to the syllabus outcomes for the relevant stage of learning
students in the first year of a stage are not restricted to lower grades
students do not need to be working beyond the syllabus for their stage to receive a grade A or B.

3.2.3 Years 7 to 10 (Stage 4 and Stage 5)

Schools will use the 5-point achievement scale (Table 3) to determine an overall achievement grade for students in Years 7 to 10. Achievement is judged in relation to statewide syllabus standards. The 5-point achievement scale is to be used to determine grades in all KLAs.

In the formal written reports to parents or carers, schools will use either:

the 5-point achievement scale in Table 3 below, or
the plain English version, available on Reporting to parents.

The 5-point achievement scale is to be used for reporting all KLAs or subjects, except VET courses where competency will be reported.

Table 3 5-point achievement scale

Describe this achievement level	Using this word	And/or this letter
The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.	Outstanding	A
The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.	High	B
The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.	Sound	C
The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.	Basic	D
The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.	Limited	E

Where the word summaries are used, the report will contain a statement to explain that the 5-point achievement scale used in this report equates to the A to E scale.

When using the 5-point scale to report student achievement in Years 7 to 10:

the full range of grades can be used at any point in time in relation to what has been taught
the grade reported should reflect student achievement in relation to the syllabus outcomes for the relevant stage of learning
students in the first year of a stage are not restricted to lower grades
students do not need to be working beyond the syllabus for their stage to receive a grade A or B.

3.2.4 Years 11 to 12 (Stage 6)

Schools will use a numerical score (1 to 100) or use the common grade scale for preliminary courses to clearly convey what the student knows and can do in relation to statewide syllabus standards in each course. For VET courses, schools will report on competency achievement.

3.2.5 Reporting on learning outcomes for students learning English as an additional language or dialect

For newly arrived students (less than 4 terms in an Australian school), at the early phases of learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D), schools will report through teacher comments on students’ achievement in the KLAs or subjects studied.

For other EAL/D students, schools will assess EAL/D students’ achievement in primary KLAs or secondary subjects against statewide syllabus standards and report achievement using the 5-point achievement scale (refer to Table 2 in section 3.2.2 for Years 1 to 6 and Table 3 in section 3.2.3 for Years 7 to 10).

3.2.6. Reporting on learning outcomes for students with disability

Reports for students whose learning program is based on syllabus outcomes that are the same as the age/stage of their peers should follow the requirements as set out above in sections 3.1 to 3.2.5.

Reports for students whose learning program is based on syllabus outcomes that are different from the age/stage of their peers, will indicate achievement against syllabus outcomes and personalised learning goals identified through the collaborative curriculum planning process.

The 5-point achievement scale is not required for reporting on student achievement in relation to Life Skills outcomes.

Reporting scales used for an individual student may differ between KLA’s, based on the personalised learning program for each course.

Personalised reports may use the personalised reporting scale (Table 4) in addition to written comments.

Table 4 Personalised reporting scale

Describe this achievement level	Using this word	And/or this letter
The student can complete a task independently, without assistance. The student maintains the skill or knowledge over time. The student generalises the skill or knowledge to new settings, people or materials.	Independent	P4
The student relies on partial prompts to complete a task. The student can regularly perform the skill or demonstrate knowledge. The student uses the skills or knowledge in a variety of familiar settings and situations.	Frequent	P3
The student understands information, concept and/or can perform the skill. The student often relies on physical or verbal assistance when participating in a task. The student has begun to demonstrate the skills in selected, familiar settings.	Occasional	P2
The student has some existing prior knowledge and/or necessary pre-skills for the task. The student is beginning to participate in a task with maximum teacher assistance. The student uses skills and knowledge in a single setting.	Beginning	P1

3.3 Comparing student achievement with the child’s peer group

In response to requests from a child’s parents or carers, schools are to provide information on how their child’s achievement compares with the performance of the student’s peer group (in each KLA or subject in Years 1 to 12). This information will take the form of the number of students in the school peer group receiving each grade or achievement level.

For Years 1 to 10, school reports (except those referred to in sections 3.3.1 to 3.3.3) where a peer group comparison is not required will include the following statement:

‘You may request the school to provide you with written information that clearly shows your child’s achievement compared to his or her peer group at school. This information will show you the number of children in the group in each of the achievement levels.’

Schools will advise parents or carers how the information can be accessed on the written report.

For Years 11 and 12, information on how student achievement compares with that of the peer group may be provided through course group rankings or grade distributions.

3.3.1 Peer groups of less than 5 students

Schools where the peer group is less than 5 students are to negotiate with the school community about providing data for comparison. The negotiation should ensure that the potential for publicly releasing information about individual students is avoided.

3.3.2 Newly arrived English as an additional language or dialect students

For newly arrived (4 terms or less), English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) students, schools are not required to provide information to parents or carers about how their child compares with the student’s peer group.

3.3.3 Students with a personalised learning program

Where students with disability are working with a personalised learning program based on syllabus outcomes that are different from the age/stage of their peers (as described in section 3.2.6 Reporting on learning outcomes for students with disability), schools are not required to provide information to parents or carers about how their child compares with the student’s peer group.

Supporting information

Best practice samples and guidance for reporting to parents is available on the department’s resource, reporting to parents.
The NESA Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses is available to support schools to report on Preliminary Courses.
Guidance is available to support schools when Reporting English language proficiency to parents: written reports (PDF 2 MB).
NESA provides theCollaborative curriculum planning process, used to determine the most appropriate curriculum options and adjustments for students with disability.
For guidance on using and recording a student’s name see Legal issues bulletin 20, Changing the way a student name is used and recorded by schools.

Record-keeping requirements

Refer to Functional Retention and disposal requirements for schools for information on retaining and disposing of records.

Records relating to teaching programs, assessment and reporting to parents	Instruction	Instrument
Curriculum implementation Records relating to the delivery of the curriculum, including: the program, teacher program documents, program register, assessment plan, timetables showing allocation of time and teachers for each key learning area/year/class, texts used, and school-created learning resources individual pattern of study, contact log, monitoring sheets for completion of work for distance education students.	Retain for a minimum of 2 years after action completed and then destroy.	FA387 1.0.2
Curriculum assessment Samples of marked student work representing a range of outcomes.	Retain for a minimum of 2 years after action completed, then destroy.	FA 387 1.0.3
Curriculum assessment Assessment material, class results, data and mark books held by individual teachers, including: internally set and vocational education and training assessment tasks records of vocational education and training units of competence and achievement.	Retain for a minimum of 1 year after examination or assessment result issued, then destroy.	FA 387 3.0.7
Assessment and reporting Individualised assessments of need and plans to support students to engage with the curriculum.	Retain until a student reaches the age of 25 years or minimum of 7 years after action completed, whichever is longer, then destroy.	FA 0387 3.0.9
Assessment and reporting Reporting on student achievement and attendance to parents, for example half-yearly and yearly reports.	Retain until student reaches the age of 25 or minimum of 7 years after action completed, whichever is longer, then destroy.	FA 387 3.0.8
Policy and procedures Records relating to the implementation of departmental and local policies at individual schools, including welfare, curriculum, discipline and safety.	Retain minimum of 5 years after superseded, then destroy.	FA 0387 2.0.6
Working groups Records relating to working groups which consider operational and administrative matters, for example, learning and support teams, student representative council, positive behaviours teams, technology, curriculum, timetable, enrolment panels. Records include notes of meetings, agendas and more.	Retain minimum of 2 years after action completed, then destroy.	FA 0387 2.0.11

Mandatory tools and templates

To assist in reviewing school processes to comply with the NESA and HSC requirements, the department provides annual 2025-HSC monitoring advice on Stage 6 – monitoring implementation and support.

Supporting tools, resources and related information

Supporting tools and resources

Best practice samples and guidance for reporting to parents is available on the department’s resource, reporting to parents.

Related information and legislation

Policy contact

Contacts

Leader, Primary Curriculum
curriculumprimarylearnerscorrespondence@det.nsw.edu.au
02 7814 3038

Leader, Teaching and Learning
curriculumsecondarylearnerscorrespondence@det.nsw.edu.au
02 7814 3293

Monitoring the policy

The Executive Director, Curriculum monitors the implementation of these standards, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates them as needed.