Independent Schools Victoria Compliance Framework

Requirements aimed at achieving greater national consistency in curriculum outcomes.

Statements of Learning

Please scroll to the bottom of the page for contacts and links

Do you need to comply?

Yes, if your school does not intend adopting the Victorian Essential Leaning Standards (VELS) curriculum framework.

Conditions of compliance

As a means of achieving greater national consistency in curriculum outcomes across the eight States and Territories of Australia, Ministers at the July 2003 meeting of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) requested that Statements of Learning be developed in English, mathematics, science, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and civics and citizenship. It was agreed that Statements of Learning would describe essential skills, knowledge, understandings and capacities that all young Australians should have the opportunity to learn by the end of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

It was proposed that, once completed, Statements of Learning and their Professional Elaborations should be used by State and Territory departments or curriculum authorities to guide the future development of relevant curriculum documents.

If you have to comply, what do you have to do?

Statements of Learning and the accompanying Professional Elaborations are intended for those who develop curriculum frameworks. For independent schools that choose to implement the VELS curriculum framework, it will not be necessary to become familiar with the Statements of Learning as it is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) to 'implement' the Statements of Learning by embedding them in the VELS curriculum framework.

Schools that choose not to adopt VELS will need to address the Statements of Learning directly. This must be completed by 1 January 2008.

What are the consequences if you don't comply?

Independent schools receive funding from the Australian Government under the Schools Assistance Act 2008 subject to the conditions which are set out in the Act. To receive funding, the school must sign a funding agreement with DEST covering the 2009-2012 quadrennium.

The implementation of Statements of Learning in English, mathematics, science, ICT and civics and citizenship is a condition under the Act.

Who will help you?

Independent Schools Victoria contact:

Aine Maher
Director, Education Services
Ph. 03 9825 7226
aine.maher@independentschools.vic.edu.au

Other links:

MCEECDYA: The Statements of Learning

Submitted 23/11/2006, edited 18/8/2010