Ms Arlene Forster:

I thank the Chair and committee members for the opportunity for the NCCA to appear before them today to speak on the topic of the draft primary curriculum specifications. I am the chief executive of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. I am joined by Dr. Patrick Sullivan, deputy CEO with responsibility for early childhood and primary education, and Dr. Derek Grant, director of curriculum and assessment.

The NCCA council includes 26 members appointed by the Minister for Education. Its remit is to give advice to the Minister on the curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools, and the assessment procedures employed in schools and examinations on subjects which are part of the curriculum. In carrying out this remit, the council is currently overseeing the review and redevelopment of the full primary school curriculum. This work builds on the many strengths of the current curriculum introduced 25 years ago in 1999, while also addressing the needs of children in our primary and special schools today and into the future. This work has been advanced through working closely with children, teachers, parents and school leaders, through extensive public consultation, research evidence, good practices, international experience and ongoing deliberation by the council and its representative structures. Key features of the work include the commissioning of the children’s school lives longitudinal study, which tracks the experience of 4,000 children across primary and special schools. Another key feature is the sustained collaboration with schools through the schools forum and ongoing consultation with children.

A significant milestone was reached in March 2023 with the publication of the primary curriculum framework for primary and special schools. The first of its type for primary education in Ireland, the framework sets the vision, principles and priorities for children’s learning as we move further into the 21st century. Some of the features of the framework include that it is for all primary and special schools. It introduces a set of key competencies, which are priorities for children’s learning across all curriculum areas and subjects.

The framework sets out the curriculum areas and the subjects of the curriculum. It introduces and expands on aspects of learning, including: STEM education; modern foreign languages from third to sixth class; technology; learning about religions, beliefs and worldviews; and a broader approach to arts education. It also gives an increased emphasis to existing areas such as physical education, social, personal and health education and digital learning, and provides for greater agency and flexibility for teachers and children. Importantly, the framework also links with learning experiences provided through Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework, and connects with learning in the framework for the junior cycle.

The primary language curriculum, Curclam Teanga na Bunscoile, with the primary mathematics curriculum, are the first two specifications of the redeveloped curriculum to be introduced to primary and special schools. Furthering the redevelopment of the curriculum, the remaining suite of draft primary curriculum specifications were published in March of this year and were subject to extensive consultation until June. The findings of this consultation will be discussed by the council at its November meeting this week, with the report published in the coming weeks.

As for the next steps for the NCCA, in the coming months we will complete the redevelopment of all five primary curriculum specifications. The council is expected to issue its advice to the Minister for Education in spring 2025, and throughout this work the council will continue to be cognisant of the various strategies, action plans, reports and policies that are relevant to primary education and the curriculum in particular.

My colleagues and I will be very happy to answer any questions members may have.