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NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

11–12English Studies 11–12 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2026
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Overview

Syllabus overview

The English Studies 11–12 Syllabus aligns with the English Studies Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus to provide opportunities for integrated delivery.

Through collaborative curriculum planning, it may be decided that Life Skills outcomes and content are the most appropriate option for some students with intellectual disability.

Organisation of English Studies 11–12

The organisation of focus areas, outcomes and content for English Studies 11–12 highlights both the interdependence of knowledge, understanding and skills in the subject, and the recursive way in which they are developed.

Students develop knowledge, understanding and skills through the following focus areas:

Year 11

  • Reading to write: Transition to English Studies
  • Elective focus areas

Year 12

  • Narrative and human experiences
  • Writing for purpose
  • Elective focus areas

These focus areas contain descriptions of content. This content outlines the intended learning of the syllabus.

All outcomes in the syllabus have recursive applications across each focus area.

Figure 1 shows the organisation of English Studies 11–12.

Content included in English Studies. Content details in text below image.
Figure 1: The organisation of English Studies 11–12

Image long description: The Year 11 focus areas appear in boxes in a row at the top of the diagram, surrounded by a line labelled ‘Year 11’. The focus areas are: Reading to write: Transition to English Studies; and Elective focus areas. The Year 12 focus areas appear at the bottom of the diagram in boxes in a row, surrounded by a line labelled ‘Year 12’. The focus areas are: Narrative and human experiences; Writing for purpose; and Elective focus areas. The lines surrounding the Year 11 and 12 focus areas cross through a box in the centre of the diagram, which is titled ‘Understanding and responding to texts’.

Protocols for collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and engaging with Cultural works

NESA is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal Communities and supporting teachers, schools and schooling sectors to improve educational outcomes for young people.

It is important to respect appropriate ways of interacting with Aboriginal Communities and Cultural material when teachers plan, program and implement learning experiences that focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Priorities.

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) protocols need to be followed. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ICIP protocols include Cultural Knowledges, Cultural Expression and Cultural Property and documentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Identities and lived experiences. It is important to recognise the diversity and complexity of different Cultural groups in NSW, as protocols may differ between local Aboriginal Communities.

Teachers should work in partnership with Elders, parents, Community members, Cultural Knowledge Holders, or a local, regional or state Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. It is important to respect Elders and the roles of men and women. Local Aboriginal Peoples should be invited to share their Cultural Knowledges with students and staff when engaging with Aboriginal Histories and Cultural Practices.