In today’s multicultural and inclusive classrooms, educators are faced with more challenges than ever before. In addition to being interpreters and implementers of the curriculum, teachers need to understand curriculum design, curriculum approaches and models, legislation and prescribed poli-cies. Curriculum studies in context offers sound, detailed and practical direction with reference to the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), to help teachers to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Curriculum studies in context narrows the gap between the curriculum plan, instructional design, and teaching practice. The views of Tyler, Stenhouse, Freire and various ubuntu theorists serve as a theoretical grounding for a deeper understanding of the teacher’s role as interpreter of the curricu-lum. Reference is made to the influence of contextual aspects, decolonisation, Africanisation and curriculum innovation.