Independent schools are committed to:

• the National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century
• equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to meet the changing nature of schooling.

Independent schools have a high degree of autonomy over their curriculum. Many have been using the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF II), as have government and Catholic schools, to plan their teaching and learning programmes.

From 2006, the new curriculum framework for Victoria will be the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), which will replace CSF II.

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is responsible for curriculum and assessment for students in Victoria.  Its website contains information on:

• CSF II
• The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
• The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)
• Achievement Indicator Monitor (AIM)

The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DE&T) website provides useful information on a wide range of topics for students, teachers, parents and school leaders.