Outdoor Education and the National Curriculum in Australia (Viewpoint Paper) (Report‪)‬

Introduction When the Labor government came to power in Australia in 2007 it replaced the conservative government that had held sway for over a decade. A trumpeted 'education revolution' was a key policy platform of this new centre-left Labor party. In the years following the election the Australian government has moved to implement a national curriculum from kindergarten to year 12 as one of the centrepieces of this education revolution. The national curriculum will ultimately replace the various current State based versions. The national curriculum is being developed to guide classroom teachers. It aims to "make clear to teachers what is to be taught, and to students what they should learn and what achievement standards are expected of them" (National Curriculum Board, 2009, p. 8). The national curriculum will therefore have a significant impact on what teachers teach and what students experience in the Australian education system.