All schools including Sydney Catholic Schools follow the same Kindergarten to Year 12 curriculum, with our Catholic values underpinning everything that we do.
With a focus on the development of the whole person, courses offered at the school cover the NESA syllabus requirements – developing the core skills of literacy and numeracy – and our Archdiocesan Religious Education curriculum.
Our teachers extend and challenge students to be the best they can be, while recognising that every student is unique and learns differently.
Students in Years 7 and 8 study Music and Visual Arts.
From 2024, through the Amadeus Music Education Program students in Years 7-8 will receive tuition in weekly small-group lessons on an orchestral instrument, as well as ensemble lessons. For more information, please visit the Amadeus Music Education Program page on the Sydney Catholic Schools website.
Creative Arts ‘gives students experiences in the visual arts, music, drama and dance. They have opportunities to explore their creativity in each of these areas. Students learn to appreciate the meanings and values that each art form offers. They perform and express themselves through the visual arts, music, drama and dance.’ – NSW Education Standards Authority.
Two hundred hours to be completed consisting of the board developed 100-hour mandatory courses in each of Visual Arts and Music. It is an expectation that the 100-hour mandatory courses in these subjects will be taught as coherent units of study and not split over a number of years.
Students in Years 7-12 are invited into a deeper and more intimate relationship with God through their exploration of the Scriptures, their participation in personal and communal prayer and their living out of Catholic social and moral teaching.
The secondary Religious Education curriculum provides opportunities for young people to ‘see, judge and act’ in response to Jesus’ great commandment to love God and love others and thus, ‘live life to the full’.
Literacy is the effective use of knowledge and skills to interpret and use language confidently for learning, communicating and engaging in society. It involves the integration of listening, speaking, reading, viewing, creating, writing and critical thinking. These skills are applied in different curriculum areas for a variety of purposes. The board developed syllabus is to be studied substantially throughout Years 7–10. Four hundred hours to be completed by the end of Year 10.
The Sydney Catholic Schools Statement on Literacy provides further elaboration on the principles of literacy and various roles within and across our schools.
Numeracy is the effective use of Mathematics to meet the demands of daily learning and life. Numeracy takes place across the curriculum and throughout the school day in a variety of contexts. The board developed syllabus is to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10. Four hundred hours to be completed by the end of Year 10.
The Sydney Catholic Schools Statement on Numeracy provides further elaboration on the principles of numeracy and various roles within and across our schools.
Science and Technology ‘fosters in students a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them. Students are encouraged to embrace new concepts and to learn through trialling, testing and refining ideas. They are supported to participate responsibly in developing innovative ideas and solutions in response to questions and opportunities relevant to them and the world around them.’ – NSW Education Standards Authority.
The board developed syllabus is to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10. Four hundred hours to be completed by the end of Year 10.
Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) ‘provides opportunities for students to explore the past and present to develop an understanding of their personal and community identity. They investigate the interactions between people, places and environments that shape their nation and world. They learn to participate in society as informed, responsible and active citizens.’ – NSW Education Standards Authority.
The board developed syllabuses are to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10. Four hundred hours to be completed by the end of Year 10, including 100 hours each of History and Geography in each stage.
‘Through Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) students develop self management, interpersonal and movement skills to help them become empowered, self-confident and socially responsible citizens. The learning experiences in PDHPE provide students with a foundation to actively contribute to, and advocate for the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others in the community and beyond school. Students are provided with opportunities to participate in physical activity to develop movement skills and recognise the impact of physical activity on health and wellbeing.’ – NSW Education Standards Authority.
The board developed mandatory 300-hour integrated syllabus in PDHPE is to be studied in each of Years 7–10.
To cater for the variety of interests and abilities of our students, we offer a range of VET courses that enable students to achieve nationally-recognised VET qualifications at certificate levels I, II and III.
VET courses provide students with practical learning that gives them a head start with their career, and many may be counted towards the ATAR and are suitable for students on both academic and vocational pathways.
All courses have dual accreditation with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
For students who are committed to a vocational pathway, they can access one of Sydney Catholic Schools’ four industry-standard trade training/skills centres where they have the opportunity to gain their HSC with a focus on vocational programs and School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs).