The cognitive development approach to morality was evaluated as a basis for primary moral education through a critical literature review and a local school case study. As part of the study, similarly structured moral education programmes, differing only in degree of conflict orientation were presented weekly to 45 Year 4 and 49 Year 6 children in a NSW metropolitan primary school for 5 and 10 weeks respectively. Predictions were for: (1) Qualitative differences in moral judgements between Years 4 and 6 in the predicted Kohlberg stage / sequence. (2) The conflict instruction groups to demonstrate significantly more stage movement than direct instruction and control groups. (3) Ability and participation to relate positively to moral judgement. (4) Boys and girls to use similar moral judgements. The major data gathering instrument was an experimenter developed, group 'test', scored from derived Kohlberg stage criteria. Supplementary data were also gathered using other techniques and instruments. The efficacy of the conflict approach was not conclusively demonstrated, though other predictions were confirmed.