Curriculum Policy and Major Education Reports
New South Wales – Key Documents – the 1995 Context
Schools Renewal: A Strategy to Revise Schools within the New South Wales State Education System (Scott Review) – 1989
- Involves a management review of New South Wales Schools.
- Proposes significant devolution from Head Office to Regions and schools.
- Primarily concerned with the organisation of schools and resources.
- Proposes that curriculum design be streamlined and accelerated, better balanced and coordinated.
Report of the Committee of Review of New South Wales Schools (Carrick Report) – 1989
- Provides an overview of the existing school education and a ‘blueprint’ for the future.
- Proposes the replacement of Board of Secondary Education with a new Board of Studies.
- Recommends a new Education Act, and the replacement of the Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs with a new Office of Education and Youth Affairs.
- Recommends six Learning areas for the compulsory years: English; Mathematics; Science and Technology; Human Society and its Environments; Personal Development, Health and Fitness; and Creative and Practical Arts.
- Recommends a core curriculum based on ‘essential learning experiences’.
Excellence and Equity: New South Wales Curriculum Reform – 1989
- Outlines curriculum reforms around Key Learning Areas – six for primary schools and eight for secondary schools.
- Does not support ‘unguided devolution to individual schools of responsibility for structure, content and coherence of the curriculum’ but does support the devolution of management responsibility.
- Criticises the Board of Secondary Education's response to changing curriculum needs.
- Stresses the importance of a broad general education and a core curriculum for all students.
Focusing on Learning: Report of the Review of Outcomes and Profiles in New South Wales Schooling (Eltis Report) – 1995
- Reviews Outcomes and Profiles in NSW.
- Investigates the ‘quality of curriculum documents’ that had incorporated the National Profiles and the appropriateness of the implementation arrangements.
- Makes recommendations for further action and review.
- Identifies a number of problems that have arisen during implementation.
- Makes 21 recommendations for further action and review, including that the Board no longer be required to incorporate the National Profiles directly into NSW syllabuses.