How does the NCCA develop its curriculum and assessment advice?
ISL - How does the NCCA develop its curriculum and assessment advice?
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is a statutory body of the Department of Education.
The twenty-five members of the Council are appointed by the Minster for a four-year term. The members represent the partners in education, industry and trade union interests, parents’ organisations and other educational interests. The Council also includes one nominee each of the Minister for Education and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Minister for Education and appoints the Chairperson. See the Council members here.
The Council is supported in its work by three boards and a number of development groups. Members of these represent similar stakeholders to Council. See our Board and Development Groups here.
The day-to-day work of the Council is led by the Chief Executive Officer supported by a full-time executive staff. See NCCA Information Booklet here.
What we do
The NCCA advises the Minister for Education on:
- curriculum and assessment for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools.
- assessment procedures used in schools and examinations on subjects which are part of the curriculum.
This advice is developed through Research, Deliberation, Consultation and Networks.
The Council sets out its work priorities in a three-year strategic plan. These priorities contribute to the overall vision of leading innovation in education for learning, living and working in a changing world. Read the Strategic Plan here.
While the NCCA is not responsible for implementing curriculum change, it supports educational change in early childhood settings and in schools by developing a range of support materials such as examples of practice, online toolkits and planning resources, and by working with those introducing new developments to practitioners and teachers.