ACARA news, September 2021

The Australian Curriculum is moving from Version 8.4 to Version 9.0


21 September 2021

The Australian Curriculum – Version 9.0 

The current Australian Curriculum, Version 8.4, is being reviewed. 

Final revisions to the Australian Curriculum will be provided to education ministers for their consideration and endorsement and once approved, the next version of the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0, will be published on a new website in 2022. 

States and territories implement the Australian Curriculum according to their own timeline. Version 8.4 will remain available on the current Australian Curriculum website at the same time that Version 9.0 is published on the new website, to support transition planning.  

During the transition period over the next few years both Version 8.4 and Version 9.0 will be available.  

Regular visitors to the Australian Curriculum website will start to see Version 8.4 labels begin to appear on the current Curriculum, making it clear to users which version of the Australian Curriculum they are reading and using.  

If you are interested in following the progress of the Review please subscribe to our newsletter, ACARA Update, or keep checking our website for regular updates. 


NAP–ICTL 2021 postponement


06 September 2021

Due to the current COVID-19 situation and the ongoing restrictions that face schools in several jurisdictions, education ministers have agreed to postpone the National Assessment Program – Information and Communications Technology Literacy (NAP–ICTL) main study 2021 and the NAP sample assessment program by 12 months.   

The NAP–ICTL assessment was due to be run in October and November, with schools to begin preparations in September. Ministers have taken this decision now to prevent uncertainty, and allow schools and families to focus on teaching and learning amid difficult ongoing circumstances.

The NAP sample assessment cycle will continue from 2022, with the NAP–ICTL main study proceeding then. No field trial will be required for 2022 as the NAP–ICTL field trial was already conducted in June 2021. This will reduce the burden of testing schools in 2022.

NAP–ICTL is a part of the NAPLAN sample assessment cycle, which tests students’ skills and understanding in science literacy, civics and citizenship, and information and communication technology (ICT) literacy. Only selected groups of students in Years 6 and 10 participate in these sample assessments, which are held on a rolling 3-yearly basis.