Is the Australian Maths Curriculum About to Change? What the Minister Told Sunrise
Australia's maths curriculum is set for its biggest change in years, starting with the first three years of school. Here's what Education Minister Jason Clare confirmed on Channel 7's Sunrise and what parents can expect next.
Australia’s maths curriculum is being rewritten, and the first changes are coming within weeks. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare confirmed on Channel 7’s Sunrise on 10 September 2026 that the government will soon receive advice on reforming the maths curriculum for Foundation to Year 2 — the first three years of school.
The announcement follows the release of the latest PISA results, which show Australian 15-year-olds recorded their lowest-ever reading and maths scores. The reform affects every Australian family with a child starting school, and marks the biggest shake-up to early maths teaching in years.
What Did the Education Minister Announce?
Speaking to Sunrise host Natalie Barr, Clare said Education Ministers are starting curriculum reform with maths because it’s the most sequential school subject — each concept depends on the one before it. “We’re starting with maths because maths is sequential, and we’re starting with the first three years of maths, so kindy or reception through to Years 1 and 2,” he said, according to the official interview transcript.
Advice on the specific curriculum changes is expected “in a couple of weeks,” after which ministers will decide which part of the broader curriculum to review next.
Why Is the Maths Curriculum Being Reformed Now?
The reform itself isn’t new.
Education Ministers first agreed to a targeted review of the F–2 maths curriculum in October 2025, as part of the $16.5 billion Better and Fairer Schools Agreement signed by the Commonwealth and every state and territory.
What’s changed is the urgency: new PISA results, also reported by 7NEWS, show Australian students’ maths performance has fallen to its lowest point on record — more than two years of learning behind students who sat the same assessment in 2003.
What Will Change in the Early Maths Curriculum?
The review covers Foundation through Year 2 — the years Clare calls the most critical for building maths skills that compound over time.
Teachers and principals have told the government the current early-years maths curriculum is too complex and lacks clear guidance on teaching order. The upcoming advice is expected to recommend sequencing changes, so young students build a solid foundation before moving to harder concepts — reducing the risk of falling behind early and never catching up.
📅 How We Got Here
What Happens Next
Education Ministers are expected to receive formal advice on the Foundation–Year 2 maths curriculum changes within the next few weeks, followed by a decision on which part of the broader curriculum to review next.
Clare also plans to raise school screen-time limits with state and territory ministers at their next meeting, citing Victoria’s new caps and New York’s primary-school AI ban as examples of actions other jurisdictions are already taking.
Parents of children in the first three years of school should watch for a formal curriculum announcement from the Department of Education and ACARA in the coming weeks.
Sources:
Interview – Sunrise, Ministers’ Media Centre (10 September 2026)
Next steps in school education reform, Ministers’ Media Centre (18 October 2025)
Education minister calls for major change in schools as students record worst-ever test scores, 7NEWS (9–10 September 2026)
Mathematics, Australian Curriculum (ACARA)
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