The recent inclusion of the "Depth Study" in the New South Wales (NSW) Years 11 and 12 science curriculum has generally been well received by secondary science education leaders. The Depth Study is designed to present an opportunity for students to engage in inquiry-based learning (IBL). However, the integration of this new curriculum initiative into classroom practice has been inconsistent. This paper reports on the first phase of a grounded theory study that investigates IBL impressions and reported practices of teachers by 10 science education leaders in NSW in relation to the Depth Study component of the Years 11 and 12 science curriculum. The data included in this paper was collected from a series of semi-structured interviews with these leaders.