Promotes excellence in schooling through high quality, nationally consistent curriculum delivery in key subject areas, including English, maths, science, languages, civics and citizenship, and Australian history.
The branch is comprised of five sections:
- Australian History and Civics and Citizenship Education Section
- Curriculum Standards Section
- English, Languages and Music Section
- Science and Maths Education Section
- Subject Panels Section
This branch is responsible for Australian Government policies and programmes in enterprise education, career development and vocational education in schools. Its work supports young people to make successful transitions through school to further education, training and/or work, and promotes career development and lifelong learning for all Australians. The branch works closely with stakeholders, particularly the Transitions Branch.
The branch is comprised of four sections:
- Career Development Section
- Career Services Section
- Pathways Policy Section
- Vocational and Enterprise Learning Section
The Literacy and Numeracy Tuition Branch manages two programmes. The Reading Assistance Voucher Programme and An Even Start - National Tuition Programme.
The Reading Assistance Voucher Programme 
is a one year programme with funding of $20.6 million. It supports parents of Year 3 students who have not met the 2006 national minimum reading benchmark by providing $700 worth of reading tuition. Support is provided by individual one-on-one tuition and is arranged by working with schools in partnership with parents. Tuition is being delivered during 2007.
An Even Start - National Tuition Programme , with funding of $457.4 million over four years, was announced as part of the 2007-08 Budget. It will address the learning needs of educationally disadvantaged students who need additional support to acquire satisfactory literacy and numeracy skills. The programme will provide tuition to the value of $700 per child to students who do not meet the national benchmark in literacy or numeracy in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Tuition for eligible students will commence in 2008.
The branch is comprised of three teams:
- Policy and Governance Team
- Tuition Design Team
- Tuition Support and Operations Team
The Literacy and Numeracy Branch is responsible for the management of National Literacy and Numeracy Week , the administration of the Schools Grants and the National Projects elements of the Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs (LNSLN) Programme and the secretariat for the National Numeracy Review. The branch also provides expert policy advice to the Minister on Literacy and Numeracy matters.
The branch is comprised of two sections:
Literacy and Numeracy Team
Numeracy Taskforce This branch delivers the Australian Government’s policies and programmes to support young Australians’ successful transitions from school through to further education, training or work.
It delivers the Career Advice Australia initiative. This initiative consists of a suite of programmes and initiatives aimed at establishing a comprehensive national career development and transition support system for all young Australians aged 13–19 years.
The branch delivers the following programmes: the National Industry Career Specialists Network; the Regional Industry Career Advisers Network; the Youth Pathways Network; and the network of Local Community Partnerships. The latter network delivers three programmes: Structured Workplace Learning; Career and Transition Support; and Adopt a School.
The branch represents the Australian Government on the Pathways for Post-compulsory Youth Advisory Group to the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs. It also works collaboratively with international partners, state and territory education departments, non-government education authorities, industry and professional associations on career and transition-related initiatives. It contributes to international policy forums on career and transition matters.
The branch works closely with other Australian Government departments that have responsibilities for issues affecting young people, particularly the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the Department of Family and Community Services, and Centrelink.
The branch is comprised of five sections:
- Business Management Section
- Career Advice Australia Policy and Communications Section
- Local Community Partnerships Network Section
- Transitions and Industry Networks Section
- Youth Pathways Network Section