NSWPPA members have consistently voiced concern surrounding the volume of content in the specified curricula and the extent of overcrowding in the amount of teaching time allocated to each Key Learning Area.

The Australian Primary Principals Association research on how well primary schools felt they were placed to deliver the Australian Curriculum showed that principals are deeply concerned. Asked whether they were able to implement the subjects in the primary curriculum within 80% of the school day, as ACARA suggests should be possible, over 88% said ‘No’ and 83% said they did not have the fiscal resources to do so. Over 64% said they could not deliver all five Arts strands.

To address these concerns, the NSWPPA has engaged with NESA on this issue during a recent forum, comprising senior Department of Education officers, Catholic and Independent leaders. Your Association robustly advocated for:

• being clear about which subjects should be mandatory and which should be optional or at school discretion;
• reducing the number of content descriptions to the number that can realistically be taught and learned in depth, in a classroom, in the time available;
• giving priority to literacy and numeracy throughout the school curriculum;
• clear and unambiguous communication to system leaders and politicians that media announcements on additions to the curriculum come at price to core learnings;
• recognition that Languages can only be taught effectively in primary schools if there is a qualified teacher available, if adequate time is available, and if the language can be maintained for a period of years; and
• high quality face to face professional learning.

This will be an ongoing process in 2018.