Education ministers have endorsed significant changes to the Australian Curriculum, developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
The revised content, which covers antisemitism, Jewish histories and civil discourse, takes effect in schools from 2027.
For the teachers and principals who will carry these changes into classrooms, the announcement marks the beginning of a new phase of work. The updated materials will be released publicly before the year is out. They are the culmination of a focused review ACARA undertook in response to the Prime Minister’s Antisemitism Education Taskforce (AET).
Australian curriculum antisemitism changes: what shifts in the classroom
Year 10 students will, for the first time, face an explicit curriculum expectation to identify and push back against antisemitism before finishing secondary school. The Year 10 History course has been substantially deepened, moving beyond the events of the Holocaust.
“While students have always been expected to learn about the Holocaust, the revised Year 10 History curriculum provides a more comprehensive study, including Jewish life in Europe before the Second World War,” said ACARA CEO Stephen Gniel.
For History teachers, that means shifting toward a richer contextual frame — one that requires subject knowledge many may need support to develop.
Beyond history: civics and digital responsibilities in the revised curriculum
The Years 7 to 10 Civics and Citizenship curriculum has been reworked to give students structured practice in engaging with contested issues respectfully and thoughtfully. The Digital Technologies content has been updated to reinforce students’ responsibilities online. This is an acknowledgement that antisemitism and other forms of hate now spread primarily through digital channels.
The revised curriculum offers greater clarity about what schools are expected to deliver, addressing a persistent gap in how consistently Holocaust education has been taught.
Jewish community representatives also emphasised during the review that Jewish people should not be defined solely by the Holocaust. The revisions reflect this by opening more curriculum space to explore Jewish histories and lived experiences.
Jillian Segal, AO, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, described the curriculum revisions as a “highly workable framework.” She said she looked forward to supporting implementation across school systems.
Before 2027: the planning work principals and teachers face now
Implementation begins in 2027, with states and territories responsible for translating the changes into teaching and learning programs. Education leaders should begin that planning now.
ACARA, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and Education Services Australia (ESA) have been tasked with scoping additional resources. These will cover both classroom materials and teacher professional learning to support the rollout.
A Social Cohesion Hub was launched in June 2026 to give teachers access to quality resources addressing antisemitism and related forms of hatred.
A wider reform on the horizon
The antisemitism review is only the first step. ACARA will now turn its attention to the Racial and Religious Tolerance Review, addressing Islamophobia and broader racial and religious understanding. The Australian Government has directed $1.5 million to ACARA in 2026–27 to support this work, with proposed changes expected to reach ministers by April 2027.
The updated Australian curriculum on antisemitism content will be available online before the end of November 2026. Gniel acknowledges that this is just the first step. “While curriculum changes alone won’t solve the challenges of antisemitism, racism and hate, they have an important role to play in strengthening social cohesion and helping young Australians become inclusive and tolerant citizens who recognise and reject all forms of racism and hate,” he said.