NSW high school principals want religious education to be scrapped, saying it is taking up valuable time that should be spent on learning.

Principals also want the HSC syllabus to begin a term earlier, mathematics to remain optional rather than become mandatory in year 12, and compulsory languages to be dropped from high school.

The principals also warned against making maths compulsory in the HSC, despite growing calls for greater emphasis on the subject. Credit:Janie Barrett

The Secondary Principals' Council has called for a raft of reforms in their submission to the NSW Curriculum Review, which was announced by the NSW government in May and has been described as a once-in-a-generation overhaul.

The review will look at de-cluttering the curriculum, so the council said Special Religious Education should be one of the first things cut from the high school timetable.