One of the most common questions we hear from teachers is: "How many units do I actually need?" It's a great question — and the answer depends on how you structure your English block and what you want to achieve across the year.
Here's a practical guide to help you plan your NSW English program with confidence.
The Short Answer
For most NSW primary teachers, one unit per term is the most common and practical approach. That means four units for a full year program — one per term, covering a different textual concept each term.
Each Oceanview Resources unit is designed to run for approximately 8–10 weeks, which aligns neatly with a NSW school term.
Option 1: One Unit Per Term (Most Popular)
This is the approach most teachers take, and it works well because:
- Each unit gives students enough time to deeply explore a textual concept — from immersion through to independent application
- You have time to gather strong assessment evidence before the end of term reports
- The pacing feels manageable for both teachers and students
- Four units across the year gives you broad coverage of the textual concepts required at your stage
What this looks like:
- Term 1: Narrative unit
- Term 2: Genre or argument unit
- Term 3: Character or perspective unit
- Term 4: Theme or intertextuality unit
Of course, the specific textual concepts will vary by stage — but this gives you a sense of how a year program might be structured.
Option 2: Two Shorter Units Per Term
Some teachers prefer to run two shorter units per term — for example, pairing a reading-focused unit with a writing-focused unit, or covering two different text types within the one term.
If this is your approach, you'd need two units per term, or eight units across the year. This works well if:
- Your school has a longer English block and you want more variety
- You want to cover a wider range of textual concepts across the year
- You're teaching a composite class and need flexibility to differentiate
Planning a Full Year Program
When planning your scope and sequence for the year, it's worth thinking about:
- Which textual concepts are required at your stage? The NSW English K–10 Syllabus (2022) specifies which concepts students should engage with at each stage. Make sure your year program covers the required concepts.
- What did students cover last year? The new syllabus emphasises progressive complexity — students should be revisiting and deepening their understanding of textual concepts across stages, not just repeating the same content.
- What assessment evidence do you need? Each unit should give you opportunities to gather evidence of student understanding for reporting purposes.
What's Included in Each Unit?
Each Oceanview Resources unit includes everything you need to teach a full term of Component B English:
- A complete teaching sequence with lesson-by-lesson guidance
- Mentor text suggestions and text analysis activities
- Student worksheets and resources
- Assessment tasks and marking criteria
- Alignment to the NSW English K–10 Syllabus (2022) outcomes
This means you can spend your planning time on what matters — knowing your students and adapting the unit to your class — rather than building resources from scratch.
Browse Units by Stage
Ready to start building your year program? Browse our units by stage:
- Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) English Units
- Stage 1 (Years 1–2) English Units
- Stage 2 (Years 3–4) English Units
- Stage 3 (Years 5–6) English Units
Each product listing includes information about the recommended duration, the textual concepts covered, and the syllabus outcomes addressed — so you can plan your scope and sequence with confidence.
Still have questions? Visit our NSW English Curriculum FAQ or get in touch — we're happy to help you find the right units for your class and year level.