The Primary Curriculum Framework was launched by the Minister on 9 March 2023.
This Framework is for all primary and special schools and will guide teachers and school leaders in their work to enhance learning, teaching and assessment for all children through the new curriculum.
The voices from the consultation on the framework, in particular, the voices of children, indicate the need for a curriculum that supports all children, celebrating their current childhood experiences, and preparing them for their future experiences.
The Framework sets out the vision, principles and components of a redeveloped Primary School Curriculum.
Parents and guardians play a key role in their child’s education. The new curriculum for primary and special schools promotes a partnership approach which will encourage increased communication between schools and parents. This aims to keep parents and guardians informed of their child’s progress in school and the school informed of the child’s learning at home.
Parents and guardians have already influenced the content of the new curriculum and will continue to do so as more public consultations take place on the areas and subjects of the new curriculum in 2024. These consultations will be widely advertised by the Department of Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)- https://ncca.ie/en/updates-and-events/consultations/
Redeveloped Primary Curriculum
The redeveloped curriculum specifications, available online at www.curriculumonline.ie/Primary, are fully aligned with the Primary Curriculum Framework (2023) and include:
Arts Education
This specification emphasises children’s active engagement as creative, skilled and confident arts-makers. They take part in broad, balanced and playful learning experiences in Art, Drama and Music, with scope to explore other art forms such as dance and media arts. Through these experiences, children make connections between art forms, express themselves, engage artistically and explore arts works from local, national and international cultures.
Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile
This specification introduces the Modern Foreign Languages learning outcomes which focus on building an awareness of languages and cultures at stage 3 (3rd and 4th classes). This consolidates existing knowledge of language(s) and builds a solid foundation for learning a third language (L3). At stage 4 (5th and 6th classes), in addition to building awareness of languages and cultures, children will learn to communicate at a very basic to basic level in a third language.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education
This specification is about understanding and appreciating our local environments and the wider world, and connects with children’s experiences as investigators, designers and creators. This curriculum area has two specifications, one for Science, Technology and Engineering Education and another for the Primary Mathematics Curriculum (2023). To support connections between both, these have been incorporated into a single curriculum document for STEM Education.
Social and Environmental Education (SEE)
This specification enables children to see themselves as members of society with rights and responsibilities and empowers them to contribute to matters of local, regional, national, European and global priority. This curriculum area incorporates both Irish and international History and Geography and learning about religions, beliefs and worldviews.
Wellbeing
This specification emphasises the interconnected physical, social, relational, emotional and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing, focusing on developing knowledge, skills, concepts, dispositions, attitudes and values that are essential for children’s overall growth and development. This curriculum area incorporates Physical Education (PE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE).
Please take the time to read the leaflet for parents in your home language.
