Since 2021, in addition to our extensive primary school program, Primary Ethics has been successfully running ethics education classes in several NSW high schools – including Katoomba High School, James Ruse High School, Fort Street High School, St George Girls High School and Inner Sydney High School.

On this page:

What high school students say about ethics

The value of ethics education in high schools

Our high school ethics lessons:

    • are conversation based, allowing students to build confidence in communicating with their peers and supporting their transition to the pressurised high school environment
    • support students to develop skills in critical thinking, respectful discussion and ethical reasoning – skills which are transferable to the key learning areas of the secondary curriculum
    • give choice to families by providing a high-quality option in the SRE/SEE timeslot
    • assist with development of interpersonal and decision-making skills as well as the consideration of ethical dilemmas that can loom large in the adolescent years.

With the support of logically structured lesson materials and skilled teacher facilitation, we encourage students to investigate and apply the principles and values involved in ethical decision-making.  A significant body of research shows that such an approach leads to improvement in general reasoning skills as well as in ethical reasoning capabilities.

We are guided by the Department of Education’s Special Religious Education and Special Education in Ethics (SRE/SEE) policy and procedures which are available here. Please contact us if you need support implementing this at your school.

We also run ethics clubs in a number of high schools. This is sometimes referred to as a Voluntary Student Activity (VSA), delivered during lunchtime or after school.

We are always keen to hear from parents, schools and community members interested in our high school ethics program.

Please contact us by filling in the form below.

Our teaching methods and curriculum for high schools

Volunteering in high schools

As with our primary school classes, our secondary programs are facilitated by trained volunteer ethics teachers.

If you are already an ethics volunteer with experience teaching ethics in primary schools you will be required to do additional self-paced e-learning and participate in a trainer-led online assessment session before becoming an authorised volunteer in a NSW public high school near you. To start the ball rolling, contact Tatar Morales (our high school manager) directly or fill in the form below.

If you are new to volunteering with us (and yes, you can become a high school ethics teacher without having been a primary ethics teacher), you will need to apply and complete our foundational training first and then complete the high school e-learning and trainer-led online assessment.

We are open to starting ethics at high schools across the states, but in 2025 we especially need volunteers for these schools: Blaxland High, Chatswood High, Concord High (Terms 1 & 2 only), Erskine Park, Dulwich High School of Performing Arts, Inner Sydney High (lunchtime ethics club), Marsden High, Model Farms High, North Sydney Boys High, Ryde Secondary College (lunchtime ethics club), Sydney Girls High, St George Girls High.

Contact us to start an ethics program in your school or teach in a high school near you

    Which school would you like to start ethics at?