Does a 3,500 Page Curriculum Really Make Us Better Teachers?

I recently came across an article comparing the Australian Mathematics Curriculum to Singapore’s.

Australia’s version? A whopping 3,500 pages from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Singapore’s? Just 80 pages. That’s not a typo — less than 3% the size.

Here’s the kicker: Singapore ranks #1 in the world for Mathematics performance, according to the OECD. Australia? We’re sitting at #10, and sliding.

So… what gives?

Surely more curriculum means more quality, right? With cross-curricular priorities, general capabilities, elaborations, and layers of guidance, we must be on the right track. Surely everything we need to make great lessons is now being provided for us! But maybe, just maybe, the old saying “less is more” applies here too.

Because here’s the reality:

A bloated curriculum doesn’t necessarily mean better teaching. Anyone who has spent time in the classroom knows this. It often just means more admin, more complexity, and more time away from what really matters — helping students learn.

Teaching in Australia Is Tough Enough

Don’t get me wrong — we work with what we’ve got.
Teachers across Australia are doing incredible work within a system that asks a lot and gives little back.

But when the curriculum becomes so large it’s practically unmanageable, something’s got to give. And too often, it’s teacher wellbeing, student engagement, or both.

That’s where Planuva can help.

Not to rewrite the curriculum — but to help teachers actually work with it.

Planuva takes the complexity out of the Australian Curriculum and it’s NSW NESA counterpart. It helps you turn it into something you can easily use in the classroom — fast, structured, and stress-free.

It’s about making teaching simpler, smarter, and more sustainable.

Join the waitlist at https://planuva.com

Let’s take back control of the planning process — and put the focus back where it belongs: on great teaching.