Some exciting efforts and activities have emerged in Civics and Citizenship at Year 7 and 8 in 2025, and we look forward to developing them in line with the new Victorian Curriculum 2.0 next year.
The focus of Year 7 Civics is Australian democracy, and students and staff have been immersing themselves in the continually evolving nature of Local, State and Federal government. Rather than simply looking at the structure of parliament and the responsibilities associated with it - important though this is - students consider what it means to represent a community and how they might go about pursuing this role.
They run a simple campaign to promote a figure. They experience the ups and downs associated with this pursuit. They develop candidate values, thinking and reasoning for representation. They vote in a compulsory election and witness the outcome of preferential voting.
In this way, we try to make it as realistic and skills-based as possible.
Similarly, in Year 8, students are contemplating the Australian legal system as they learn about the rights and responsibilities involved in citizenship. Although they consider the history behind the law, the rule of law and the theoretical aspects of it too, we are attempting to construct a more skills-based approach as we implement the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. Thus, a mock court will be on the horizon. Students will be involved in the intrinsic routine of court as they unearth the role of judges, juries, legal professionals and Australian citizens.
It promises to be a dynamic and fascinating learning environment in 2026.