This unit involves an investigation of educational policy and its relationship to curriculum planning, teaching and assessment. By examining how teachers’ work is framed in global, international, national and local policy terms, students will develop their understanding of the realities of the influences impacting on curriculum. The unit will examine the current policy directions influencing Australian education at the local level and will engage students in a critical analysis of the contested nature of educational policy decisions. The inquiry further develops student understandings of the critical aspects of teaching and learning. Students develop their analysis with a particular group of children, over an extended time in the eight week practicum setting, incorporating two weeks of preparation and six weeks of teaching. The unit is designed to reaffirm the interrelationships of curriculum theory, policy statements, and the teacher as a curriculum decision maker. The focus of this unit is an investigation of how effective planning and implementation of challenging, relevant, inclusive content and process contribute to learning outcomes.