NT Curriclum – a Curriculum that Grows People

In the third-largest region of Australia, the sweeping outback landscapes of the Northern Territory hold vast amounts of indigenous knowledge. Given that over 30% of the population are First Nations people, the NT curriculum acknowledges that young people begin their school education with deeply established cultural values, systems of knowledge and ways of learning that have been shaped by their communities. 

As with any curriculum, learning programs must reflect the rich diversity in culture and language that exists in the Territory – with the common goal of growing young Territorians who are able to learn, contribute and achieve.

Teaching and learning in the NT

As proven by a wealth of research, it is the student’s teacher that has the single biggest impact on their learning outcomes. Currently, teachers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island descent make up a small percentage of the teaching workforce in the NT. This is a critical issue when it comes to adapting the Australian Curriculum to the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework. 

Significant research into student experience is currently underway through the Northern Territory Government, with the goal of ensuring that education opportunities are closely connected to communities and support the success of all students – including First Nations learners.

Similarly, assessment of learning must be carried out in a manner that allows all students to best demonstrate their learning. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) aims to improve the flexibility teachers have to offer culturally relevant and responsive assessment, as well as offering formal provisions for students with a disability.

Learning programs in remote schools

Given its size, NT is sparsely populated and remote schools outnumber those in the Darwin, Palmerston and Central urban areas. No matter its size however, a school’s curriculum is its core business – and it is curriculum that drives teaching and learning. 

In the primary and middle years, the Australian Curriculum forms the basis of teaching and learning in the North Territory. As in other parts of Australia, there is a strong focus on the social, emotional, physical and academic development of younger children. Once students reach the middle years of schooling, civics and citizenship are added to a learning program. The curriculum is used flexibly in the Northern Territory to meet the specific educational needs of its young people. Many schools will embed opportunities to share the unique indignenous knowledge of its local community into the curriculum.

NT senior years curriculum and the NTCET

The transition to Year 10 signals a move towards a more specialised curriculum as students begin to consider tertiary education or vocational training. Year 10 is a foundational year for the study of Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET) and requires students to study the compulsory subjects of English, mathematics as well as developing a personal learning plan. Student may choose from other non-compulsory subjects too, including: 

• Arts
• Business, enterprise and technology
• Languages
• Health and physical education
• Humanities and social sciences
• Science

The NTCET is a formal qualification that students complete in Years 11 and 12 in two stages. Based on and administered by the South Australian Certification of Education, it is a credits-based qualification that requires students to achieve 200 or more credits that recognize learning across a range of compulsory and non-compulsory subjects. 

No matter where a student is located in the vast Northern Territory, online teaching resources can shorten the distance to subject-specific learning.

Find out how EP can support students studying in NT.