Curriculum and Academic Reporting Policy for ACT Public Schools

What is this policy about?
1. This policy outlines the requirements for curriculum planning and delivery, and the requirements for reporting student learning for all ACT public schools.
2. This policy must be read in conjunction with the Curriculum Requirements and Reporting Procedures for ACT public schools and associated Implementation Documents.
Policy Statement
1. ACT public schools must exemplify, promote and contribute to a socially cohesive multicultural society through valuing and respecting diversity, inclusion and Cultural Integrity.
2. Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) must be used to inform curriculum decision making in ACT preschools.
3. The EYLF may be used by schools in conjunction with the Australian Curriculum to support learning for students in kindergarten.
4. ACT public schools must implement the Australian Curriculum for students in kindergarten to year 10. The ACT Education Directorate will determine the Australian Curriculum version to be implemented.
5. Schools must implement the curriculum as described by the Australian Curriculum planning, teaching, assessing, and reporting guidelines.
6. Schools may seek approval to implement curriculum using an Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) recognised alternative curriculum framework for kindergarten to year 10.
7. Schools may use Levels A-D: Towards Foundation Curriculum for students progressing towards the Australian Curriculum foundation level.
8. Schools must develop and document contextually appropriate, explicit, and sequenced whole school curriculum plans that outline what students are being taught and when.
9. Schools may decide how they organise and document teaching and learning to maximise inclusive, equitable and accessible learning opportunities for all students.
10. A range of approaches and strategies must be utilised to meaningfully enact the curriculum in all teaching and learning environments, such as classroom, off-campus and On Country Learning.
11. ACT public schools may deliver complementary learning programs such as ‘Aquasafe’ and the ‘Pre-Learner Licence Course’ to support the safety of children and young people in the community.
12. The School Board of each ACT public school is responsible for maintaining and reviewing the whole school curriculum plan.
13. For years 11 and 12, colleges must adhere to the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (ACT BSSS) Policy and Procedures Manual, which outlines the ACT BSSS/teacher arrangement for the development of curriculum, school-based assessment, and moderation for Years 11 and 12.
Reporting on Student Progress and Achievement
1. Preschools must develop collaborative and effective partnerships with families to regularly report on student progress and achievement based on the learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework.
2. Preschools may decide how they report student progress to families but must do so at least twice a year.
3. ACT public schools must provide twice-yearly academic reports for every student enrolled in kindergarten to year 12.
4. Schools must develop and implement additional opportunities for communicating student learning progress and social development to promote parent/carer/community engagement.
5. Schools must use the School Administration System (SAS) to provide academic reports of achievement and social development for students in kindergarten to year 10.
6. SAS academic reports must be shared with each parent/carer of the student and be easily understood.
7. In accordance with the ACT Language Services Policy, schools must provide suitable opportunities for parents/carers requiring language support. This includes translating and interpreter services.
8. Academic reports for students in kindergarten to year 12 must give an accurate and objective assessment of the student’s achievement, derived from a range of authentic assessment opportunities, moderation and on-balance judgements against the Australian Curriculum achievement standards (K – year 10) or the ACT BSSS policy requirements (year 11 – year 12). And must be:
  1. reported as A, B, C, D or E for each learning area or subject studied for years 1 to 12
  2. reported using the 5-point scale definitions for kindergarten
9. For cohorts greater than 10, schools must provide comparative grade data for each learning area/subject reported on for years 1-10.
10. Schools must provide each parent/carer of a participating student in years 3,5,7 and 9 with a report from National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).
11. ACT public schools must retain a hard copy of each student’s report on the student’s individual physical school file.
Who does this policy apply to?
1. This policy applies to all ACT public schools, teachers, principals and directorate staff.
Context
1. This policy is guided by the ACT Wellbeing Framework and aligns with the values and mission of the ACT Education Strategies of Set up for Success and the Future of Education.
2. This policy reflects the Education Act 2004 which establishes the principle that every child has a right to receive a high-quality education.
3. Under Section 30 of the Education Act 2004, the ACT Education Directorate Director-General determines the curriculum requirements for students attending ACT public schools from preschool to year 10.
4. The Australian Education Act 2013 (Cwlth) specifies all schools must implement the Australian Curriculum to teach, assess and report student achievement for kindergarten to year 10.
5. This policy supports the vision and goals of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration.
6. This policy is consistent with the Human Rights Act 2004, including the right to education, equality and non-discrimination and the rights of children to protection.
7. This policy is consistent with ACT Safe and Supportive Schools Policy.
Responsibilities
1. The Principal: school leadership team and teachers at each ACT Public School are responsible for implementing this policy in their school.
2. Policy Owner: the Executive Branch Manager, Learning and Wellbeing Policy and Design is responsible for this policy.
Monitoring and Review
1. The Policy Owner monitors the policy. This includes an annual scan of operation and review. A full review of the policy will be conducted within a three-year period.
2. The Policy Owner will inform the relevant Director School Improvement with any concerns regarding implementation of this policy.
Contact
1. For support, contact the Curriculum team at EDU.Curriculum@act.gov.au.
Feedback
1. Any feedback about this policy should be raised with the Policy Owner. Refer to the contact information above.
References
1. Definitions
  - ACARA recognised alternative curriculum framework refers to well-established curriculum frameworks that have undergone a process of recognition to ensure they meet the requirements of the Australian Curriculum. Recognised curriculum frameworks are listed on the Recognition register.
  - Aquasafe is a unique water safety and awareness program designed specifically for Year 2 students in the ACT and is a joint initiative between Royal Life Saving ACT and the ACT Government Education Directorate.
  - On Country Learningrefers to outdoor activities where students can explore their natural surroundings whilst learning about and respecting the land and its significance to the local First Nations people, their histories and cultures.
  - Pre-Learner Driver Course introduces new drivers, who are at least 15 years and 9 months old, to key concepts about safety and driving.
2. Legislation
  - Australian Education Act 2013 (the Act) outlines the rights and responsibilities of organisations in order for them to receive Australian Government funding for school education.
  - Australian Education Regulation 2013 provides more detail on the implementation of the Act and outlines requirements for implementing curriculum (Subdivision B, Section 42), implementing the National Assessment Program (Subdivision C, Section 43), performance measures (Subdivision F, Section 53) and student reports (Subdivision G, Section 59).
  - Australian Education Act 2013 Regulation Explanatory Statement provides clarification of the regulations and explicit meaning of the subdivision and sections noted above.
  - ACT Education Act 2004 outlines the general principles of education for children and young people in the ACT (Chapter 1, Part 1.2, Section 7), curriculum requirements (Chapter 3, Part 3.2, Section 30) and reporting to parents (Chapter 3, Part 3.2, Section 25).
  - Education and Care Services National Law (2010) legislation that creates a National Law to regulate education and care services for children in early childhood settings.
  - Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011) provides regulations surrounding provider and service approvals for early childhood education.
  - The Human rights Act 2004The ACT is a human rights jurisdiction. The act outlines the rights of individuals to essential human rights, including the protection of children (Section 11).
  - The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration sets out a vision for a world class education system that encourages and supports every student to be the very best they can be, no matter where they live or what kind of learning challenges they may face.
3. Implementation Documents
4. Related Policies and Information

Policy Identifier: 00025 is the unique identifier of this document. It is the responsibility of the user to verify that this is the current and complete version of the document, available on the Directorate’s website at http://www.education.act.gov.au/publications_and_policies/school_and_corporate_policies/A-Z/.

Policy Identifier: 00025

Published: August 2023

Policy is current until: December 2026

Implementation Documents:

Curriculum-and-Reporting-Procedures.pdf ( PDF 387.6 KB)