This guide has been produced by the expert team of science teachers, authors, and learning designers at Oxford University Press ANZ. It contains a clear, concise summary of the key changes to structure and content of the Victorian Curriculum Science (Version 2.0) and is designed to save you time and help you plan and implement the new syllabus with confidence
Why is the curriculum changing?
The new Victorian Curriculum Science (Version 2.0) was finalised in 2024.
• The new curriculum has been designed to give Victorian students the understanding, knowledge and skills through which they can develop a scientific view of the world and better understand the relationship between science and society.
• Content descriptions are more specific, so that teachers are clear about what to teach as well as the depth and breadth to which scientific concepts and skills should be taught.
• Achievement standards have been refined and are preceded by verbs to ensure that teachers are clear about how to assess what students are able to do, say, make and write.
• Each content description aligns directly with an achievement standard, or part of an achievement standard.
How is the structure changing?
• Science as a Human Endeavour has been elevated from a sub-strand to a strand.
• Content is organised into 3 interrelated strands: Science as a Human Endeavour, Science Understanding and Science Inquiry
• Teachers can easily integrate interrelated content across the 3 strands. This integration promotes meaningful connections for students, fostering deeper understanding and engagement.
• Interrelated content allows teachers to optimise their resources by leveraging common themes and concepts across multiple strands.
How is the content changing?
Years 7 & 8 key changes
Old Curriculum New Curriculum
Biological Sciences
Focus on cells as the building blocks of living things and body systems
Classification helps us understand this diversity
Ecosystem content discusses food webs and human impact
Chemical Sciences
Focus on states of matter and basic particle theory
Mixtures can be separated using a range of techniques
New substances can be formed through chemical reactions
Earth and Space Sciences
Focus on renewable/non-renewable resources
Theory of plate tectonics, rock cycles, basic geological processes
Predictable Earth phenomena (like seasons and eclipses)
Physical Sciences
Focus on unbalanced forces
Earth’s gravity, energy forms and simple devices that transform energy
Electric circuits, light and sound
Greater emphasis on cells as systems and how structure relates to function
Includes roles of unicellular and multicellular organisms in coordination
Emphasis on studying both a plant and animal organ system
Ecosystem content includes food pyramids and reference to sustainability
Greater emphasis on atomic models, particle theory, and how scientific models and theories are developed and used
Increased emphasis on explaining the behavior of matter in terms of atomic structure and molecular interactions
Inclusion of solutions
Emphasis on sustainable use of Earth's resources and influence of human activity
Expands on plate tectonics with a focus on tectonic activity
Focus on the properties of rocks that affect their usefulness and mining methods
Expanded to include balanced forces, force diagrams, and a deeper link between mass, magnitude, and direction of forces.
Addition of simple machines (lever, pulley, screw, etc )
Inclusion of thermal, chemical, gravitational, and elastic energy
Inclusion of energy transfers, energy efficiency analysis and sustainability
Years 9 & 10 key changes
Old Curriculum New Curriculum
Biological Sciences
Focus on multicellular organisms, DNA, genes
Theory of evolution by natural selection
Coordination of body systems using hormones and the nervous system
Chemical Sciences
Focus on atomic theory, radioactivity, periodic table
Conservation of mass, rates of reactions
Chemical reactions represented by balanced chemical equations
Earth and Space Sciences
Focus on global systems
Chemical reactions, including combustion and reactions with acids
The Universe (galaxies, star and solar systems), the Big Bang theory and universe formation
Physical Sciences
Focus on Light (reflection, refraction, dispersion, spectrum)
Properties of sound, wave model, energy flow in Earth’s atmosphere, magnetism
Generation of electricity and the operation of motors, motion and forces
Focus narrowed to the nervous system only
Greater emphasis on structure-function relationships and response to stimuli
Greater emphasis on reproduction, the structure and function of DNA
Clearer connection between genetics and evolution
Addition of infectious and non-infectious diseases
Explicit teaching of chemical symbols, word/chemical equations, patterns in reactivity, predicting the products of chemical reactions
Inclusion of exothermic or endothermic reactions and factors affecting rates of reaction
Focus on Earth systems and sustainability (e g , climate change, resource use)
Expanded coverage of space exploration including challenges of human space travel
Focus on energy transfer using wave and particle model
Law of conservation of energy (energy efficiency)
Electricity generation (AC and DC)
Newton’s Laws of motion
Detailed breakdown of changes
The following tables provides a high-level summary of specific content changes for Years 7–10 in the Victorian Curriculum Science (Version 2.0). Content that has been added, moved between levels, or removed is included.
Years 7 & 8
What’s been added?
Communication of scientific knowledge has a role in informing individual viewpoints, and community policies and regulations (VC2S8H04)
Simple machines, including the lever, inclined plane, wedge, pulley, screw, and wheel and axle, alter the direction and magnitude of forces (VC2S8U13)
Matter and energy flow through ecosystems and can be represented using models, including food webs and food pyramids; populations will be affected by changing biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem including habitat loss, climate change, seasonal migration and introduction or removal of species (VC2S8U04)
What’s been moved into Years 7 & 8 from 9 & 10?
Earth is a dynamic planet as demonstrated by tectonic activity, including the formation of geological features at divergent, convergent and transform plate boundaries; the theory of plate tectonics is supported by scientific evidence (VC2S8U10)
Electrical circuits transfer energy when current flows and can be designed for diverse purposes using different components; the operation of circuits can be explained using the concepts of voltage and current (VC2S8U17)
What’s been removed?
Water Cycle (VCSSU100)
People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (VCSSU114)
Lenses
What’s been moved out of Years 7 & 8 to 9 & 10?
Light (Reflection, Refraction) (VCSSU104)
Sound as a wave (VCSSU106)
Reproduction; included requirement that both a plant and animal organ system are studied
Electromagnetic spectrum
Years 9 & 10
What’s been added?
The use of scientific knowledge to address socio-scientific issues and shape a more sustainable future for humans and the environment may have diverse projected outcomes that affect the extent to which scientific knowledge and practices are adopted more broadly by society (VC2S10H03)
Infectious and non-infectious diseases are caused by different organisms and agents; measures to control the transmission of infectious diseases include personal hygiene, quarantine protocols, medical treatment and public education programs (VC2S10U03)
Space exploration seeks to expand knowledge of the origins and structure of the universe and to resolve the challenges of humans travelling and living away from Earth’s surface (VC2S10U12)
Investigable questions, reasoned predictions and hypotheses can be used in guiding investigations to test and develop explanatory models and relationships (VC2S10I01)
The structures of reproductive cells and organs in plants and animals are related to their functions; processes of sexual and asexual reproduction enable survival of a species (VC2S10U01)
Scientific knowledge may be interpreted in different ways by individuals and groups in society; the values and needs of society can influence the focus of scientific research (VC2S10H04)
What’s been removed?
Years 9 & 10
What’s been added?
Electricity can be generated as alternating current (AC) using magnets (via turbines turned by wind, water, tides or steam that is generated by the combustion of oil, gas or coal or by nuclear energy) or as direct current (DC) using photovoltaic cells or batteries (VC2S10U16)
The Law of Conservation of Energy can be analysed in systems, including Earth systems, by assessing the efficiency of energy inputs, outputs, transfers and transformations (VC2S10U15)
What’s been moved into Years 9 & 10 from 7 & 8?
Wave and particle models models to describe energy transfer through different media (e g , sound and light) (VC2S10U14)
The structures of reproductive cells and organs in plants and animals are related to their functions; processes of sexual and asexual reproduction enable survival of a species (VC2S10U01)
What’s been removed?
What’s been moved out of Years 9 & 10 to 7 & 8?
Electric circuits (VC2S8U17)
Cell structure and differences between uni-/multicellular organisms
Plate tectonics and earthquake zones (VC2S8U10)
How is Oxford supporting implementation?
We are currently developing a new edition of Oxford Science 7–10 for the Victorian Curriculum Science (Version 2.0), as well as a host of supportive resources that will be arriving for implementation in 2026.
This new edition will be hosted on our brand-new Oxford Digital platform, updated to improve usability and accessibility so you can engage students of all abilities and save time in planning and delivering lessons.
Engage every student with all core content now on our new accessible platform - adjust font sizes, enable read-to-me functionality, and customise content views for diverse learning needs.
Track progress with quick, curriculum-aligned check your learning quizzes that provide instant feedback.
Revolutionise your classroom planning with lesson plans written by experts and accessed at the beginning of each lesson
Trust the experts. Trust Oxford.
All of our content and resources have been written by experts, ranging learning designers with industry-leading expertise to Helen Silvester, the current Director at the STEAM-focused Casey Tech School, and many more experienced classroom teachers.
Content has been carefully mapped to the curriculum to ensure that anything you’re teaching in the classroom can be reported against syllabus outcomes and requirements.
Connect with students by using live lesson mode via Oxford Digital and live-assign resources and quizzes as you progress through customisable lesson plans.
Teaching made easier. Progress made visible. Save time, boost engagement, and shape confident learners.
Oxford Science VIC 7–10 has been designed for mixed-ability classrooms, supporting every student with scaffolded learning and an explicit focus on science inquiry skills. Teachers are supported with time-saving tools and resources – ensuring confident, effective teaching.
Save time and cover all curriculum requirements with best-practice TLAPs, lesson plans and clear curriculum alignment to resources.
Develop science inquiry skills with a series developed with an explicit focus on skills. Allow students to track their own progress and check their learning.
Learn more and sign up for your sample trial.
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