Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what, if any, review there has been on the operation of the “infant hour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22915/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Primary Curriculum Framework launched on the 9^thMarch 2023, sets out the vision; principles; key competencies; structure; approaches to learning, teaching, and assessment; and suggested time allocations of the Primary School Curriculum.

The suggested time allocations are 5 hours 40 minutes at first to sixth class and 4 hours 40 minutes at junior and senior infants. A minimum curriculum time built on a weekly and monthly basis and flexible time built on a monthly basis are set out.

Minimum curriculum time sets out the least time weekly that must be allocated for language, mathematics, and wellbeing, and a monthly minimum time allocation based on a period of four weeks, for science, technology, and engineering education; social and environmental education; and arts education.

The time allocations are intended to be used flexibly, in order to embrace integrative learning, avail of unexpected learning opportunities, pace learning in response to children’s needs, and support immersive and engaging learning experiences.

Children in junior and senior infant classes may have a school day that is one hour shorter than the length of the normal school day. This is a concession in the interests of young children and allows for a perceived inability on their part to sustain the work of the full day.

There is a focus on welcoming junior infants to schools and a wide range of resources and support materials have been provided by my Department as well as the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to support this group.

Circular 11/95 ‘Time in school’ sets out a typical school day for Infant classes is 4 hours and 40 minutes and senior classes 5 hours and 40 minutes, with appropriate recreation of 30 minutes. The circular allows for discretion for all primary schools to place First class on infant hours. The decision to apply this concession rests with the Board of Management. Such decisions should be dictated by the educational interests of the children. The concession is designed to take the age, maturity level and cognitive ability of younger children into account.

In the context of the needs of the new primary curriculum framework that was launched in March the current provisions in circular 11/95 relating to the ‘infant hour’ will be reviewed.This will take into account the implementation plans for the new framework including consultation with education partners.