NationalEducation

South Australian public schools get a new curriculum: English, maths, arts, languages to be focus from 2025

South Australian public schools get a new curriculum: English, maths, arts, languages to be focus from 2025
English and mathematics, along with arts and languages, were to be the key focus of the new curriculum for South Australian public school students from 2025.
Image courtesy South Australian government education department

South Australian public school students had the first four subjects of the new South Australian curriculum for public education released in 2024.

The South Australian curriculum for public education was an adapted version of the Australian Curriculum to respond to local feedback from students, teachers and employers.

The new curriculum was being developed for every subject, with English and mathematics a key focus, along with arts and languages.

The key changes of the curriculum includes:

  • A bigger focus on reading in English – inspiring students to read more and use their literacy skills on a daily basis.
  • Teaching students the important life skills they need for everyday life through a strong focus on financial literacy in mathematics.
  • Decluttering the curriculum to give teachers the time needed to teach topics in depth.
  • Adding important qualities such as resilience and empathy into each subject area for the first time. 
  • A stronger focus on creating art in the arts curriculum to strengthen students’ techniques and skills.

For the first time since the Australian curriculum was developed and released in 2010, the latest version was being comprehensively adapted by the South Australian government education edpartment to ensure it best meets the needs of the state's students – and fitted within the South Australian context. The first four subject areas would be made available through a newly developed website that will be a hub for teachers, allowing them to provide feedback and support pilot work.

The adapted curriculum, developed for Reception to Year 10 in 8 learning areas, wouldbe introduced and refined in a phased approach, expected to be completed in 2027.

The curriculum changes came as grants worth more than $12 million were being provided by the South Australian covernment to two leading South Australian arts organisations – Carclew and Patch Theatre – to help continue educating tens of thousands of South Australian students each year. Both organisations supported schools by delivering arts education, opportunities and experiences to students.

The four-year funding announcement came as the first of the key components of the new curriculum for public education – including the arts learning area – were being shared with teachers across the state for their feedback.

Other related ADELAIDE AZ articles

In line with the eastern states, South Australia's literacy and numeracy tests from 2019 demanded that graduate teachers had skills equal to the top 30% of the population..
Government >
Literacy/numeracy test for South Australian student teachers from 2019 as focus tightens on class performance
READ MORE+
Boys and girls (top) from St. Paul's Day School, Flinders Street, Adelaide city, doing  exercises during a physical training display on Australia Day, 1913. Bottom left: Edward John Woods original 1870s design for Flinders Hall and the school, with a spire (not added due to cost cutting). Bottom right: The former school building as Adelaide city local heritage.
Churches >
St Paul's Day School for children of Adelaide city's poor opened in 1874 by Anglican church wealthy congregation
READ MORE+
A schoolroom at Trinity (now Holy Trinity) Anglican church on North Terrace, Adelaide, later to became St Peter's Collegiate at Hackney.
Government >
Education Act 1851 cuts funds to church schools in South Australia; central board oversees shortage of teachers
READ MORE+
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) sold the electricity generated in the national market to electricity retailers (AGL, Origin etc) who then sold it to households and businesses.
National >
South Australia part of the National Energy Market that sells its electricity to retailers then on to consumers
READ MORE+
Adelaide’s purpose-built Central Telephone Exchange was opened in Franklin Street behind the General Post Office in 1908. Image by Kylie Fleming
National >
Charles Todd's hopes for Adelaide electricity delayed but the city an adopter of telephone technology from 1883
READ MORE+
KESAB conducts Wipe Out Waste (WOW) in South Australian schools, from pre school to Year 12.
Education >
KESAB's Wipe Out Waste (WOW) work in South Australian schools takes community approach
READ MORE+