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Welcome to the NSW Curriculum website

NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

7–10Commerce 7–10 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2027
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Life Skills

Life Skills for Stage 4/5

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.

The legal, political and community environment

This content aligns with course content from the following focus areas:

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The nature and function of laws
  • Rules at home, in school and in the community

  • Who rules apply to

  • The definition of a law

  • Who laws apply to

  • Reasons laws are needed

  • Differences between civil and criminal law

  • Who makes laws

  • The role of law enforcement agencies

  • The role of the courts

  • Different types of courts

Australia’s political system
  • Decision-making in different contexts

  • Features of democracy in Australia

  • Responsibilities of the 3 levels of government

  • The role of political parties

Participation in the democratic process
  • Reasons for elections

  • The right to vote

  • The responsibility to vote

  • The voting process

Human rights
  • The basic rights of all humans

  • Characteristics of human rights

  • How human rights relate to children and young people in Australia

  • Organisations that safeguard human rights

Resolving disputes
  • Individuals and groups responsible for enforcing the law

  • Legal structures and processes for resolving disputes

  • Engaging in advocacy and self-advocacy

Interacting with the law
  • Who can make legal decisions for children

  • Reasons legal decisions can be made for children

  • The legal age for key rights and responsibilities

  • The rights and responsibilities of young people when interacting with the police

  • Types of crime

  • The rights of the accused

  • The rights of victims

  • Consequences of breaking the law

  • Reasons for accessing the legal system

  • Barriers to accessing the legal system

  • Types of legal and non-legal support services

Political issues
  • Issues that affect an individual as a member of the community

  • Ways to respond to and influence political decisions

Getting elected
  • Running for public office

  • The election process

  • Ways to campaign in an election

Community participation
  • Groups in the community that people can belong to

  • Roles and responsibilities in groups

  • Reasons for active community participation

  • Skills needed for effective community participation

  • Ways that young people can become involved in their community

Thinking, researching and communicating
  • Investigate a current issue in relation to the legal, political and/or community environment

  • Communicate solutions and/or actions in response to the current issue investigated

  • Create an oral, visual, written or multimodal text to communicate ideas relating to the legal, political and community environment

Related files