Australian Curriculum

Australian Curriculum

Australian Curriculum

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is overseeing the development of an Australian Curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12, beginning with English, mathematics, science and history. A second phase of work will involve the development of an Australian Curriculum in languages, geography and the arts.

ACARA is also advising education ministers on the approach to development of an Australian Curriculum in the learning areas of health and physical education, economics, business, information and communications technology, design and technology, and civics and citizenship.

ACARA has consulted extensively with the education community, including parents, teachers, principals and professional organisations. ACARA is also considering local and international examples of best practice in its development of the national curriculum. 

The Australian Curriculum will provide clear and explicit agreement on the curriculum essentials (the content and achievement standards) that all young Australians should have access to, regardless of their circumstances or the location of their school. The Australian Curriculum will also provide parents and teachers with a clear understanding of what needs to be covered in each subject at each year level. It will seek to equip young Australians with the skills, knowledge and capabilities that will enable them to effectively engage with and prosper in society, compete in a globalised world and thrive in the information-rich workplaces of the future. The Australian Curriculum in the first four key learning areas will be developed by 2010 and implemented by the states and territories from 2011.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has been established by all Australian governments to develop a rigorous and world-class Australian Curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12, beginning with the learning areas of English, mathematics, science and history. ACARA is also responsible for the management of assessment and reporting at a national level. 

ACARA reports to the Commonwealth, state and territory education ministers through the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs.

ACARA's board is made up of 13 members nominated by each of the state and territory education ministers, the commonwealth education minister and the Catholic and Independent school sectors. The members collectively possess expertise in school curriculum, assessment, data management, analysis and reporting financial management and corporate governance.

The functions of ACARA are to:

  • develop and administer a national school curriculum, including content of the curriculum and achievement standards
  • develop and administer national assessments
  • collect, manage and analyse student assessment data and other data relating to schools and comparative school performance
  • facilitate information sharing arrangements between Australian government bodies in relation to the collection, management and analysis of school data
  • publish information relating to school education, including information relating to comparative school performance
  • provide school curriculum resource services, educational research services and other related services, and
  • provide information, resources, support and guidance to the teaching profession.
     

View the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs Communiques.

For further information on the development of the Australian Curriculum, please visit the ACARA website.