The Primary School Curriculum was developed by the NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment) and launched in 1999. The process of revising the curriculum began with the work of the Review Body on the Primary Curriculum, which published its report (The Quinlan Report) in 1990. The report constituted a detailed appraisal of the 1971 curriculum and provided the basis for the redesign and restructuring that is presented in this curriculum (Introduction, p.2).
Curriculum Overview
The curriculum incorporates the child centred principles of its predecessor, Curaclam na Bunscoile (1971). It identifies three primary aims of primary education:
- To enable the child to live a full life as a child and to realise his or her potential as a unique individual
- To enable the child to develop as a social being through living and co-operating with others and so contribute to the good of society
- To prepare the child for further education and lifelong learning.
The curriculum is learner-centred. It emphasises the importance of literacy, numeracy, and language, while at the same time responding to changing needs in science and technology, social personal and health education, and citizenship.
The curriculum is presented in six subject areas comprising 11 subjects. The development and implementation of the curriculum in religious education in primary schools remains the responsibility of the relevant patron bodies.