11–12Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus (2026)

Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 11–12 provides an opportunity for students to learn about the histories, Cultures and experiences of Aboriginal Peoples and Communities. Students explore how to show respect, build positive relationships and understand the importance of working together for a fair and shared future.

Through the study of Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 11–12, students:

• learn about Aboriginal Peoples’ histories and Cultures, including the significance of the Dreaming, connection to Country, the diversity, strength and resilience of Aboriginal identities and Communities, and Cultural Knowledges and Practices
• learn about international Indigenous Communities, their Knowledges and Practices, and the impacts and responses to invasion and colonisation
• learn how ideas and information are gathered in partnership with Aboriginal Peoples and Communities
• develop an understanding of Aboriginal Community Cultural protocols and ethical research practices
• plan and participate in a Community engagement research project, applying appropriate protocols and ethical practices to investigate an area of interest
• develop knowledge and skills to support respectful community participation, informed decision‑making and active citizenship, including engaging with social justice, human rights and reconciliation in everyday contexts.

The following focus areas can be studied throughout Year 11 (120 hours) and Year 12 (120 hours).

• Aboriginal Peoples’ connection to Country pre-contact to 1960
• Aboriginal Peoples’ Cultural Knowledges, Practices and Languages pre-contact to 1960
• Experiences of the international Indigenous Community pre-contact to 1960: comparative study
• Human rights 1960 to present
• Social justice 1960 to present: comparative study
• Aboriginal Peoples’ connections to land, water and sky Country 1960 to present
• Aboriginal Community engagement research project

For Aboriginal Studies Life Skills:

• Students are required to demonstrate achievement of one or more Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 11–12 outcomes.
• Outcomes and content should be selected to meet the particular needs of individual students.
• The outcomes describe the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to demonstrate as a result of teaching and learning. Teachers should use the outcomes to determine the scope of learning for the content included in each focus area.
• The focus areas provide possible frameworks for addressing the Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 11–12 outcomes and content and are suggestions only. Teachers have the flexibility to select, group and sequence outcomes and content to meet the needs, strengths, goals, interests and prior learning of their students.
• Content from Aboriginal Community Cultural protocols and ethical research practices is to be integrated throughout the course based on the strengths and needs of individual students.
• Local Aboriginal Community(ies) in NSW should be prioritised when teaching the Pre-contact to 1960 focus areas. Aboriginal Community(ies) located outside of the local Aboriginal Community(ies) and/or NSW may be studied when teaching the 1960 to present focus areas.
• Students can undertake an Aboriginal Community engagement research project exploring a topic that is of interest to them. The research project can be undertaken individually or collaboratively, and students can participate in a whole project or parts of a project.
• Examples provided in the content are suggestions only. Teachers may use the examples provided or use other examples to meet the particular needs of individual students.

Students explore the importance of Country, Cultural Knowledges and Practices and the impacts and responses to invasion and colonisation through the study of ONE international Indigenous Community and ONE local Aboriginal Community(ies) or ONE NSW Aboriginal Community(ies).

Students investigate concepts of social justice through the study and comparison of ONE Aboriginal Community and ONE international Indigenous Community. Students study the content that relates to one or more options from the list below:

• Health
• Education
• Housing
• Employment
• Criminal justice system
• Economic independence.

Students investigate Aboriginal Peoples’ connections to land, water and sky Country through the study of ONE option from the list below:

• Aboriginal Peoples’ connection to Country 1960 to present
• Aboriginal Peoples’ Cultural Knowledges, Practices and Languages 1960 to present.

Students research and design an original piece of work of their choice related to an aspect of the course. As part of the Aboriginal Community engagement research project, students may develop a process journal.

The process journal can be produced in a range of forms and is used to record and communicate the Community engagement, development and findings of the research.

The medium for the project can include performances of dance, music, song or drama, writing of a play or poetry, visual arts, teaching/learning kit, photographic essay, video presentation, written reports, or another medium in negotiation with the teacher.

Aboriginal Community Cultural protocols and ethical research practices equip students with the knowledge and skills to engage respectfully and responsibly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Communities, Cultural Knowledges and Practices.

The syllabus content supports students to learn about the diversity of Aboriginal histories, Cultures and experiences, the importance of reciprocal relationships and Cultural safety. By engaging in ethical research practices, students learn the importance of culturally responsive methodologies and Indigenous research frameworks that centre Aboriginal voices and principles of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov).

Loading  are to be integrated as appropriate throughout the syllabus focus areas.

Teachers should always engage and work in partnership with Elders, Community members, Cultural Knowledge Holders, and a local, regional or state Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), such as the NSW AECG Inc.

The content in the Pre-contact to 1960 focus areas prioritises learning about the local Aboriginal Community(ies) and should be contextualised to meet the needs of the local Aboriginal Community(ies). The content should be based in NSW and focus on the period pre-contact to 1960.

The content in the 1960 to present focus areas may be studied through Aboriginal Community(ies) located outside of the local Aboriginal Community(ies) and/or NSW.

To identify the local Aboriginal Community(ies), consideration should be given to:

• traditional Custodians from the area in the school’s locality
• Aboriginal people who are Elders of local Aboriginal Community(ies)
• Aboriginal Community organisations such as the NSW AECG Inc., local Aboriginal Land Councils, the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) and health or legal services.

Schools are required to ensure they follow safety and risk management in delivering the Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus.