New Primary Curriculum
The New Primary Curriculum
Why is there a new curriculum?
The curriculum is changing so that it is up-to-date with the times we live in, with developments in language learning and the introduction of the Free Preschool Years. Since the last curriculum (1999), society and communities have changed greatly, as has your child’s learning environment. Thanks to research, we now know more about how children learn to speak, read and write and how to help them make progress in ways that are well suited to their learning needs.
The redeveloped curriculum specifications, available online at www.curriculumonline.ie/Primary, are fully aligned with the Primary Curriculum Framework (2023) and include:
The new primary curriculum is being introduced gradually over several years. The Primary Language Curriculum for English and Irish has already been put in place, while the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum is currently in the process of being introduced.
At this stage, the rollout is ongoing: language changes are fully implemented and maths is partway through implementation, with further elements expected to follow in phases.
After the language and maths phases, the next stage of the primary curriculum rollout focuses on the remaining subject areas being updated in phases.
The upcoming developments are expected to include:
- A new Primary Curriculum Framework guiding all subjects
- Revised curricula for areas like Science, Technology and Engineering (STE)
- Updates to Arts Education (visual arts, music, drama)
- Changes in Wellbeing (including SPHE and PE)
- Social and Environmental Education (history and geography)
An Overview of the New Curriculum:
Primary Language Curriculum / Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile
This specification builds on the existing Primary Language Curriculum for English and Irish, with an increased emphasis on oral language, literacy, and communication across all learning. It supports children in becoming confident and competent communicators through an integrated approach to reading, writing, speaking, and listening. In addition, it introduces Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) 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.
Primary Mathematics Curriculum (PMC)
The Primary Mathematics Curriculum focuses on developing children’s understanding of maths in a meaningful and connected way. It emphasises problem-solving, reasoning, and real-life application, helping children to build confidence and see maths as relevant to everyday situations. Learners are encouraged to explore, discuss, and explain their thinking, using a range of strategies and tools. The curriculum also supports the development of key skills such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, ensuring a strong foundation for future learning in mathematics and across the wider STEM area.
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.
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).
Resources & Support:
The NCCA (National Council for Curriculum & Assessment) has a wide range of resources and support material available for parents on their website. Please take the time to read the leaflet for parents in your home language.
https://ncca.ie/en/primary/resources-for-parents/
The NCCA has also compiled the following resources to support your children's learning and development in primary school from junior infants to sixth class.
Infant Classes
Helping your child in Junior & Senior Infants:
https://ncca.ie/media/4084/helping_your_child_in_junior_and_senior_infants.pdf
Primary School Overview:
Helping your young child to read and write:
Support your child to become bilingual:
Learning through development and play:
https://ncca.ie/media/4066/tipsheet_play_parents_of_young_children.pdf
Helping your young child with maths:
Junior Infants maths tip sheet:
https://ncca.ie/media/4893/junior-infants-maths-tip-sheet-for-parents.pdf
Senior Infants maths tip sheet:
https://ncca.ie/media/4892/senior-infants-maths-tipsheet-for-parents.pdf
1st & 2nd Class
Helping your child in first and second class:
https://ncca.ie/media/4083/helping_your_child_in_first_and_second_classes.pdf
3rd & 4th Class
Helping your child in third and fourth class:
https://ncca.ie/media/4085/helping_your_child_in_third_and_fourth_classes.pdf
Your child’s learning document:
https://ncca.ie/media/1430/your_childs_learning_2000.pdf
5th & 6th Class
Helping your child in fifth and sixth class:
https://ncca.ie/media/4082/helping_your_child_in_fifth_and_sixth_classes.pdf
Learning Irish at Home for All Ages:
In school, your child is learning Irish as part of the Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile. The four tip sheets below have been developed to help parents support their children as they learn Irish. Each tip sheet describes a range of activities which parents can do with children at home ‘as Gaeilge’. These materials are designed to be fun and engaging for both parents and children.
Irish All Around Me:
https://ncca.ie/media/5346/irish-all-around-me_an-ghaeilge-m%C3%B3rthimpeall-orm.pdf
Praise, Praise, Praise!
https://ncca.ie/media/5345/praise-praise-praise-_mol-an-%C3%B3ige-agus-tiocfaidh-s%C3%AD.pdf
Speaking & Reading in Irish:
https://ncca.ie/media/5344/speaking-and-reading-in-irish_ag-labhairt-is-ag-l%C3%A9amh-as-gaeilge.pdf
Fun at Home!
https://ncca.ie/media/5347/fun-at-home_spreagadh-agus-spraoi-sa-bhaile.pdf
