Curriculum

Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) follow the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12 and the SCS Religious Education Curriculum.

Our schools focus on the development of the whole child – academically, emotionally, physically, socially and spiritually – with our Catholic values underpinning everything that we do. This holistic approach to education is defined by our policies, practices and relationships to ensure that each child in every school is safe, engaged, supported, and challenged, recognising that every student is unique and learns differently.

Sydney Catholic Schools offer unique educational opportunities for our students.

Religious Education

Religious Education is at the heart of Catholic education. It informs all aspects of school life and contributes to the mission of the Catholic Church in announcing the good news of Jesus Christ.

All students are expected to participate in the religious life of the school. This includes being part of formal religious education that follows a curriculum and uses our textbook series To Know, Worship and Love.

Primary Stages and Key Learning Areas

Each Key Learning Area (KLA) includes syllabuses for K–10 and Years 11 and 12 that are inclusive of the learning needs of all students. The NSW curriculum is organised in seven stages of learning.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS: Kindergarten to Year 6 (K–6) include four stages of learning.

Early Stage 1–Kindergarten
Stage 1–Year 1 and Year 2
Stage 2–Year 3 and Year 4
Stage 3–Year 5 and Year 6

There are six Key Learning Areas (KLAs) for primary schools. They are:

English
Mathematics
Human Society and its Environment
- History
- Geography
Science and Technology
Personal Development Health and Physical Education
Creative Arts
Languages (Optional)

Secondary Stages and Key Learning Areas

Each Key Learning Area (KLA) includes syllabuses for K–10 and Years 11 and 12 that are inclusive of the learning needs of all students. The NSW curriculum is organised in six stages of learning.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Year 7 to Year 12 include three stages of learning.

Stage 4–Year 7 and Year 8
Stage 5–Year 9 and Year 10
Stage 6–Year 11 and Year 12

The Key Learning Areas (KLAs) for secondary schools are:

English
Mathematics
Science (7-10)
Human Society and its Environment (HSIE)
Technology Mandatory (Years 7-8)
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE).
Creative Arts
Languages (Mandatory in Stage 4)
Vocational Education and Training (VET) (Years 9-12)

Years 11 and 12

School students in NSW generally work towards the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in years 11 and 12. It is the highest level of attainment a student can reach at school. Learn more about HSC courses, eligibility requirements and achievement pathways, including the HSC minimum standard.

RoSA

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) issues the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) to eligible students who leave school before completing the Higher School Certificate (HSC). The RoSA is a cumulative credential, meaning it contains a student’s record of academic achievement up until the date they leave school. This could be between the end of Year 10 up until and including some results from Year 12.

The RoSA records completed Stage 5 (Year 10) and Preliminary Stage 6 (Year 11) courses and grades, HSC (Year 12) results, and where applicable participation in any uncompleted Preliminary Stage 6 courses or HSC courses.

The RoSA is useful to students leaving school prior to the HSC because they can show it to potential employers or places of further learning.

Unique Opportunities

Sydney Catholic Schools offer unique opportunities in:

VIVA – Dance, Drama & Music
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education
Japanese
Digital Education Network

Find Out More