Welcome to @Home bulletin for Term 4 2026, where we let families know what your children, from kindergarten into secondary school, are exploring in their ethics lessons this term.
The topics we show below are based on classes which begin at the beginning of the year – this can vary as schools start their ethics programs at different times. If your child tells you they are discussing a topic you don’t see in this bulletin, you can also look at the Curriculum section of our website.
We hope the students talk about ethics with you at home – ask them questions about it!
Kindergarten: Does telling the truth matter?
Telling the truth isn’t always easy, especially when we’re worried about hurting someone’s feelings or getting into trouble. This term, students explore truth-telling through stories about friends facing these tricky situations. Is it ever okay to make something up? How might telling a lie affect a friendship? And can we be kind while still telling the truth?
Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2: Ownership
What does it mean to own something, and are there limits to what we can own? This term, students explore ownership through some familiar and some surprising examples. Does finding a shell on the beach make it yours? What about building a sandcastle? Can we own animals, a picture of someone else or even the smell of food we’ve made? Students will consider how finding, making and using things might relate to ownership, and what owning something allows us to do.
Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4: Breaking a promise
Does saying ‘I promise’ give someone more reason to trust us? This term, students explore what makes a promise and whether it’s ever okay not to keep one. Does a promise count if someone was pressured into making it? What if keeping a secret means someone else gets blamed unfairly? And how should we choose between two promises when we can’t keep both? Students will also consider what we owe others when we can’t keep our word.
Stage 3 – Years 5 & 6: Should we take circumstances into account?
Can the same action be right in one situation and wrong in another? This term, students explore whether understanding someone’s circumstances might change our moral judgements. They’ll consider whale hunting, including the traditional Inuit’s reliance on whales for survival, and ask whether different practices necessarily reflect different values. Students will also explore more familiar examples: is it ever okay to tell a lie, break a promise or say something that hurts someone’s feelings? And what circumstances might make a difference?
Stage 4 – Years 7 & 8: Being yourself
We’re often encouraged to ‘be ourselves’ – but what does that mean? This term, students explore identity, self-expression and the different roles we play in our lives. If we act differently with friends, family or other people, are we still being ourselves? How might the labels others give us affect how we see ourselves? And what does it mean to express who we are?
Each term brings new ideas and questions, and we hope these topics spark interesting conversations at home as well!