The objectives of this study were to investigate the differing perceptions that the students, parents, teachers and employers in a NSW country city have of the secondary school curriculum, in order to provide a database which the participating schools may wish to use as a basis for curriculum change or further investigation. Survey research using a modified form of an instrument developed by Collins and Hughes (1978) formed the basis of the investigation. The three comprehensive high schools and a sample of employers from a large city in the New England region of NSW were involved in the study. It was found that students, parents, teachers and employers think in terms of four overall curriculum orientations which were described as academic, discipline, preparation for life and personal autonomy / social awareness. Most groups considered the schools achieved academic goals very well. However, other areas of the curriculum such as preparation for life and personal autonomy / social awareness were considered more important. There was also a division among the academic items by students and parents who saw two differing academic orientations. One of these contained traditional school academic subjects, mathematics and sciences. The other referred to cultural subjects. This second group was considered much less important by the students and parents.