To support schools across New South Wales in preparing for the new syllabus, Stile is hitting the road in Term 3. We’re coming to a school near you in the Stile Sylla-bus! We’ll be making coffee, hosting pub trivia, running escape room incursions and training sessions to help every secondary school across the state feel ready and confident to transition to the new science syllabus.
Keen to join the fun? Head to stileeducation.com/nsw to book a visit from the Stile Sylla-bus for your school!
Head to stileeducation.com/nsw to book a visit from the Stile Sylla-bus for your school
The release of the new Science syllabus brings an inevitable period of change, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. We’ve spent hundreds of hours analysing the new syllabus so that you don't need to. Read on for a summary of how the syllabus has changed and how, with Stile by your side, you’ll have a fully aligned, engaging science program at your fingertips so you can focus on what matters most: your students.
What's Changed?
We’ve identified five key changes to the syllabus:
- The introduction of focus areas
- An emphasis on data science
- The introduction of depth studies
- Integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultural and Scientific Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing
- Content changes
1. The Introduction of focus areas
Rather than being organised by strand (Physical World, Earth and Space, Living World and Chemical World), the new syllabus groups content into focus areas. A focus area represents a theme or idea, such as “Change” or “Living systems”. Within each focus area are a number of outcomes that specify the knowledge, understanding, and skills to be learned. These include working scientifically outcomes.
In Stile, the content for each focus area will be addressed by a combination of Stile units. This provides varied, rich, real-world contexts for science learning.
An example of how multiple Stile units work together to address focus areas.
2. An emphasis on data science
The new syllabus emphasises data science, identifying it as its own focus area in both stages.
“SC4-DA1-01: Explains how data is used by scientists to model and predict scientific phenomena”
“SC5-DA2-01: Assesses the use of scientific knowledge and data in evidence-based decisions and when verifying the legitimacy of claims” (NESA, 2024)
We believe the best way for students to learn data science is by engaging with real-world data in relevant contexts. For this reason, in alignment with guidance from the syllabus quoted below, we’ll continue to scaffold the development of data science across the Stile collection from years 7–10.
“The Data science focus area can be taught alongside other focus areas, or aligned to students’ interests, local context or school environment.” (NESA, 2023)
There’s a very exciting unit currently under development with a clear emphasis on data science.
3. The introduction of depth studies
Previously known as Student Research Projects, a depth study is “any type of scientific investigation that provides students with an opportunity to pursue their interests and deepen their scientific understanding of one or more focus areas." (NESA, 2023)
A summary of the differences between Student Research Projects and Depth Studies is shown below.
The Stile Scope and Sequence includes the time and support materials for students to complete one depth study per year. Our purpose-built unit will walk students through the process of completing their project, allowing them to develop a portfolio of work that demonstrates their working scientifically processes. We’ll also provide suggested depth studies for each focus area.
4. Integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultural and Scientific Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing
The rationale statement of the science syllabus includes a new section about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultural and Scientific Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing.
“As the oldest living continuous Cultures in the world, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have developed their Cultural Knowledges over millennia. These Knowledges are not static and continue to develop. Through the study of science, students have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultural and Scientific Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing.” (NESA, 2023)
Ten of the sixteen focus areas include content statements that directly address this, such as: “Identify examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ application of Knowledge about forces” within the Forces focus area. (NESA, 2023)
In 2023, Stile undertook its first collaboration with First Nations educators, scientists and illustrators to develop our updated Forces unit. Read all about our commitment to incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultural and Scientific Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing in the Stile blog at stileapp.com/go/FirstNationsPrinciples
5. Content changes
We’ve done a thorough analysis of the changes to content within the syllabus in our implementation guide, available at stileapp.com/go/syllabus. Some of the key differences are described below.
- Working scientifically processes have been integrated into focus areas
- Content statements demonstrate an emphasis on investigation, developing written texts and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultural and Scientific Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing
- Atomic structure, plate tectonics and ecosystems have been brought down to Stage 4 from Stage 5
- Organic and inorganic chemistry content has been added to Stage 5
- An emphasis on climate change has been added, and relevant content included in Stage 5
- Observing has been added as a new working scientifically process
- Processing and analysing data and information has been divided into two working scientifically processes: processing data and information and analysing data and information
Support for implementation
We develop high-quality lessons and teacher support materials so that you can focus on teaching. Stile provides everything you need to teach a fully aligned science program, giving you a head start on implementation. Our units for Years 7 and 9 will be ready to implement with students in 2025, followed by units for Years 8 and 10 in 2026.
Stile is a complete, coherent science curriculum for schools in New South Wales, providing the perfect mix of practical, print and digital learning experiences while saving teachers hundreds of hours in planning and resource creation. Our full suite of teacher resources includes a full scope and sequence so you know that everything’s covered. You’ll also find a link to an editable version, which can be customised to suit your context. Every unit has a comprehensive Teaching Plan, outlining everything you need to know before you start teaching, and a detailed illustrated Lab Guide with clear guidance for all hands-on, practical, engineering and investigation tasks.
Check out our complete Implementation Guide for the new science syllabus at stileapp.com/go/syllabus. If you’d like to find out more, join us for a free trial. Head to stileapp.com/go/nsw-trial
References
- NSW Education Standards Authority. (2023). Science K-10 syllabus. https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/science/science-7-10-2023/overview
