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Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) – information for school leaders

Learn about the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) – what has changed and where to get further support.

The Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) replaces content in the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2015). Planning and preparation will commence from 2024 with implementation in 2027.

This syllabus recognises the critical importance of building on foundational skills developed in earlier years and supports the growing knowledge, understanding and skills identified in focus areas.

The NESA Statement of Equity Principles underpin the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024), ensuring inclusivity of every student, including Aboriginal students, students with disability, students learning English as an additional language or dialect, and high potential and gifted students.

What you need to know

  • The Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) will be taught in all NSW high schools from 2027.
  • The department is recommending a staggered implementation to ensure continuity of learning for Years 7 to 10.
  • In a staggered implementation approach, the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) will be implemented first to Years 7 and 9 (2027) and in the following year to Year 8 and 10 (2028). See ‘Secondary option B’ in Models of curriculum implementation – secondary.
  • The Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) is a live document available via NESA’s digital platform.
    • NESA will continue to add teaching advice and support materials throughout the implementation process.
  • There are pedagogical changes including more time to focus on teaching, so that students develop a deeper understanding of core concepts.
  • There is an increased emphasis on the importance and integration of thinking and working geographically with the syllabus organised through 3 key components central to the study of geography
    • Geographical concepts: place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability, and change.
    • Geographical inquiry skills: acquiring, processing and communicating geographical information.
    • Geographical tools: maps, fieldwork, data and graphs, spatial technologies and additional geographical representations.
  • The syllabus provides students with opportunities to learn about Aboriginal Cultures and Histories and to investigate and develop an understanding of the sustainable environmental management practices implemented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples over millennia.
  • Content is sequenced to support subject progression and build knowledge.
  • The NSW Department of Education will be providing support materials to assist schools and guide the implementation process on the Planning, programming and assessing HSIE 7–10 webpage.

The Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) includes:

  • a new structure that builds on geographical conceptual understanding across all outcomes, making clear the essential knowledge, skills and understandings for geography
  • new outcomes and content that are informed by evidence and identify geographical concepts needed by all students to develop essential knowledge, understanding and skills
  • teaching advice to support understanding of syllabus content and to support teachers to make informed pedagogical decisions
  • a requirement of 10 hours of mandatory fieldwork
  • Life Skills outcomes mapped to the Stage 4 and 5 outcomes to facilitate integrated delivery
  • Life Skills content adjusted and aligned to Stage 4 and 5 course content
  • Life Skills content opportunities for students to connect with the physical and human geography of their immediate environment and make explicit real-world connections.

The following diagram shows the organisation of the outcomes and content for the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024).

Along the top are the focus areas labelled Stage 4 Landscapes and landforms, Liveability of places, Water in the world and Interconnections and trade. At the bottom are the focus areas labelled Stage 5 Biomes and sustainable agriculture, Changing places, Environmental change and management and Human wellbeing. In the centre of the diagram are the Geographical concepts place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change, the Geographical inquiry skills acquiring, processing and communicating geographical information and the Geographical tools maps, fieldwork, data and graphs, spatial technologies and additional geographical representations. A line connects the concepts, inquiry skills and tools labelled Thinking and working geographically across the top and Knowledge, understanding and skills across the bottom. Along the top are the focus areas labelled Stage 4 Landscapes and landforms, Liveability of places, Water in the world and Interconnections and trade. At the bottom are the focus areas labelled Stage 5 Biomes and sustainable agriculture, Changing places, Environmental change and management and Human wellbeing. In the centre of the diagram are the Geographical concepts place, space, environment, interconnection, scale, sustainability and change, the Geographical inquiry skills acquiring, processing and communicating geographical information and the Geographical tools maps, fieldwork, data and graphs, spatial technologies and additional geographical representations. A line connects the concepts, inquiry skills and tools labelled Thinking and working geographically across the top and Knowledge, understanding and skills across the bottom.
Image: Figure 1: the organisation of Geography 7–10

Geography 7–10 Syllabus organisation image is from the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024.

Prior to implementing the Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024), leaders will need to consider the following:

  • the complexities for staff working from 2 syllabuses to teach Geography 7–10 during a staggered implementation structure (syllabus differences include structure, language, outcomes and content)
  • building teacher knowledge and understanding of appropriate protocols for collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and engaging with Cultural works
  • supporting teachers’ understanding of the principles of inclusive education, adjustments and access to the HSIE curriculum for all learners
  • resource and budget implications, such as
    • providing time for staff to engage with syllabus expectations and build their skills and understanding to effectively teach and plan for syllabus requirements across 7–10 to implement in 2027
    • determining what resources are currently available to address the new framework and delivery of mandatory 10 hours fieldwork in both Stage 4 and Stage 5.
  • all decisions about curriculum options for a student with disability should be made through the collaborative curriculum planning process 
  • prior to determining whether a student should access Life Skills outcomes and content, consider other ways of helping the student to engage with regular course outcomes
    • This may include a range of adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment activities.
    • If the adjustments do not provide the student with sufficient access to some or all outcomes in Stages 4 and 5, a decision to access Life Skills outcomes and content in one or more courses might be appropriate.
  • some students with intellectual disability may find Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content are the most appropriate options to follow for their RoSA 
  • exploring ways to adopt and adapt the sample materials provided by the department and curriculum materials developed in school to support consistency of curriculum implementation between mainstream and special education settings.

The Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) is based on evidence referenced in the Bibliography: Geography 7–10, highlighting:

  • that studying geography equips students with a broad range of knowledge and skills, enabling them to think and work geographically (Australian Geography Teacher’s Association 2013)
  • the importance of geography as a way of thinking through developing geographical knowledge and geographical concepts (Lambert 2011; Brooks 2018; Enser 2021; Maude 2018)
  • the development of Aboriginal Cultures and Histories content to address Recommendation 5.3, underpinned by the voices and Knowledges of Aboriginal Peoples, developed and guided by Aboriginal Education (Burgess and Evans 2017; Nakata 2011; Yunkaporta and Lowe 2018; Yunkaporta and Shillingsworth 2020).

Geography 7–10 Syllabus (2024) © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024.

Knowledge of the syllabus and professional learning needs

  • To what extent do staff understand the syllabus and the evidence underpinning the new syllabus?
  • How will the new syllabus affect classroom practice? What is in place to support and evaluate this practice?
  • What school practices and systems are in place to support teacher professional learning?
  • How are these evaluated to maximise support for teachers?

Collaborative planning and development

  • Which communities of practice does the school collaborate with to enhance teacher curriculum knowledge and pedagogy?
  • Do staff have the skills and understanding to collaboratively undertake syllabus implementation?
  • What explicit systems are in place to foster collaboration?

Resourcing and support

  • What structures are in place for tailored professional support for all staff to strengthen curriculum implementation?
  • What else might be required for this syllabus?
  • What resources are required to commence syllabus implementation and meet planning, programming, assessing, and reporting requirements?

Ongoing evaluation and refinement

How is the new syllabus being used to lift teaching practice?

Further support

Syllabus information for school leaders

An overview of the pedagogical changes and whole school considerations to support school leaders’ understanding of what has changed for each new syllabus.

Leading curriculum K–12

Advice and resources supporting leaders to facilitate effective curriculum implementation in schools.

Category:

  • Teaching and learning

Business Unit:

  • Curriculum and Reform
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