 The Australian Curriculum is designed to help students learn what they need to know, understand and be able to do, to be confident in creative individuals and active and informed citizens. The Australian Curriculum sets goals for what all students should learn wherever they live and whatever school they attend. In September 2015 the Education Council endorsed the Australian Curriculum Foundation to Year 10 in eight learning areas, English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Arts, Technologies, Health and Physical Education and Languages. The Council also endorsed Work Studies, an optional subject for students in Years 9 and 10, which helps them become better prepared for the world of work. Some of the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum bring a number of subjects together. For example, in the primary years, Humanities and Social Sciences draws together history, geography, civics and citizenship and economics and business into one learning area. The key elements of the Australian Curriculum are content descriptions and achievement standards. The content descriptions detail the knowledge, understanding and skills that will be taught each year or across a band of years. The achievement standards describe what students will know and will be able to do as a result of the teaching and learning in the classroom. In addition to learning area content, the Australian Curriculum pays particular attention to a set of seven general capabilities. These capabilities encompass knowledge, skills and behaviours that will equip young Australians to live and work successfully in the 21st century. Priorities critical to Australia's future, such as a student's understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures are also built into the Curriculum across various learning areas. While the Australian Curriculum sets expectations for what we want students to learn, it doesn't specify how content must be taught. Schools and teachers have the flexibility to make the decisions about how they teach the Curriculum, taking account of the needs of their students, the requirements of their school and where appropriate the requirements of their local Curriculum Authority. For over two decades now, Australia has been moving towards a national Curriculum. With the National Assessment Programme and National Reporting Programmes, ACARA's key functions form a foundation for the improvement of learning outcomes for all Australian students. I encourage you to view the endorsed Curriculum on our website. Thank you.