Speaking on Monday, a day after the release of a review into the current national curriculum initiated by the Abbott government, Ms Burch echoed her counterparts from around Australia and said proposed changes would need to be signed off by states and territories at a meeting in December.

The review, by conservative education consultant Kevin Donnelly and academic Ken Wiltshire, found that the curriculum was overcrowded and questioned the inclusion of "cross-curriculum priorities" in every subject, including sustainability, engagement with Asia, and Indigenous history and cultures.

Ms Burch did not outline any specific objections to the review's findings. She said discussions would take place with ACT education directorate officials as well as the Catholic and independent sector.

"We can't change curriculums every time we change governments," Ms Burch said. "I would like to see more time given to bed this down first and foremost."

"I have confidence that the national curriculum has been developed wisely. But that said, there is always time to go back and have a look to make sure we get it right."

Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne acknowledged that changes as a result of the review were not likely to be implemented until the 2016 school year, and said the education ministers' meeting in December would discuss the report.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's chairman, Barry McGaw, said his organisation was considering the report and would give advice at the December meeting.

Ms Burch said teachers in the territory's public, independent and Catholic schools knew what was best for their students.

"The curriculums that have been implemented at a national level have taken many years to implement and I know the ACT was part of that development. And educators who are experts in this field will look at this review and make the changes that fit their classrooms."

Ms Burch said it was important to get literacy and numeracy right in the early years of education, and teachers employed in the ACT system from 2015 would be selected from the top 30 per cent of testing results.

The report's 30 recommendations also included calls for a greater focus on Western civilisation and Australia's Judaeo-Christian heritage in the history curriculum as well as the Western canon of literature.

"That was an interesting recommendation and I think we expected it from the reviewers to put something like that in. But if you look at the curriculum there is certainly a world view of history and a world view on literature," Ms Burch said.

Ministers will consider how maths, science and history should be incorporated into early-years education, alongside literacy and numeracy.

The Australian Education Union said the report's release came as a distraction from debate over the Abbott government's commitment to full funding of the Gonski reforms.

Federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said changes to curriculum shouldn't disadvantage teachers and students because of "political agendas".