In the state of Victoria, Australia, the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) is the curriculum framework for Preparatory to Year 10 school levels, which replaced the Curriculum and Standards Framework II (CSF 2) in 2006. Students starting Year 11 normally proceed to complete the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), but other education options are available. VELS was superseded by the Australian Curriculum AusVELS in 2013.
Contents
- Breakdown of the VELS
- Health and Physical Education
- Interpersonal Development
- Personal Learning
- Civics and Citizenship
- The Arts
- English
- The Humanities
- LOTE Languages other than English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Communication
- Design Creativity and Technology
- Information and Communications Technology
- Thinking Processes
- Intended aims of the VELS
- Changes to Victorian Standards
- References
Breakdown of the VELS
The VELS is a curriculum framework providing a set of areas for teachers to teach. Like the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) and the CSF II, the VELS has six levels, with a general expectation that each level be completed in two years of schooling, with the exception of Level 1, completed in the first year of Primary schooling, known as "Prep", as follows:
Primary School Level
Secondary School Level
The following is a list of teaching areas in the VELS (domains), which are sorted further into dimensions. Each domain belongs to one of three strands: Physical, Personal and Social Learning, Discipline-based Learning or Interdisciplinary Learning. The idea is for these three strands to be woven together to give a balanced education so that students will succeed in further education, work and life. The three strands are represented graphically by a triple-helix inspired diagram.
Health and Physical Education
Standards at levels 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
Dimensions:
Interpersonal Development
Standards at levels 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
Dimensions:
Personal Learning
Standards at levels 3,4,5,6
Dimensions:
Civics and Citizenship
Standards at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. Civics and Citizenship aims to teach students what it means to be citizens in a democracy.
Dimensions:
The Arts
Standards at levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Dimensions:
English
Standards at levels 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.
Dimensions:
The Humanities
Standards at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6
The Humanities discipline is organised into four domains:
The Humanities – (Levels 1–3)
Dimensions:
The Humanities – Economics (Levels 4–6)
Dimensions:
The Humanities – Geography (Levels 4–6)
Dimensions:
The Humanities – History (Levels 4–6)
Dimensions:
LOTE (Languages other than English)
Dimensions:
LOTE has two pathways:
Pathway 1 - for students who begin learning a language in primary school and continue to study the same language to Year 10.
Pathway 2 - for students who begin learning a language in Year 7.
Mathematics
Standards at levels 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
Dimensions:
Science
Standards at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6
Dimensions:
Communication
Standards at levels 4, 5 and 6.
The Communication domain focuses on developing students who communicate clearly and confidently both at school and for further education and life.
Dimensions:
Design, Creativity and Technology
Standards at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Design, Creativity and Technology aims to encourage students to think laterally and openly to design, produce and evaluate solutions to problems.
Dimensions:
Information and Communications Technology
Standards at levels 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Dimensions:
Thinking Processes
Standards at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6
Dimensions: