2. What are the Essential Learnings? Essential Learnings are clear statements about what should be taught in Queensland schools. They describe the key concepts, facts, procedures and ways of working that students need: * for ongoing learning * for social and personal competence * to meet complex, real-life challenges. There are Essential Learnings for each key learning area (KLA), with the intention that these are to be achieved by the end of the year-level juncture in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

7. Improving assessment practices The QCAR initiative will promote teachers’ professional knowledge and expertise in assessment practices and improve comparability of teacher judgments against statewide standards for reporting of student achievements. QSA will establish an Assessment Bank to provide teachers with access to high-quality assessment tools and resources. This bank will be built up over time and provide both a resource and a learning opportunity for teachers with models of good assessment, exemplars of student work and access for teachers to share assessment tasks they have created. The QSA will also develop assessment tasks at Years 4, 6 and 9 to assess student achievement against the standards in English, Maths, Science and one other area. Data on these tasks will be reported at a system level and to individual students.

8. Guidelines for reporting A Year 1–10 reporting framework, that is consistent with the principles approved in 2004 by the Queensland Government and which meets the Australian Government’s regulations, will be provided. This framework will guide reporting undertaken by schools which includes: * twice-yearly reports to parents on student achievement on a five-point scale * reporting on student achievement of the Essential Learnings (using Standards) in English, Maths and Science and one other area at Years 4, 6 and 9