As part of the redevelopment of the Primary School Curriculum, NCCA is consulting on the Draft Primary Curriculum Specifications in Arts Education; Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in the Primary Language Curriculum; Social and Environmental Education (SEE); Science, Technology and Engineering Education (STE); and Wellbeing from March 6th to June 7th 2024. The consultation includes a number of components, including written submissions, questionnaires, focus group events and participation in schools networks.
Consultation is now open on five Draft Primary Curriculum Specifications. You can access the specifications below, as well as short information videos providing an introduction to each document.
As part of the consultation, NCCA is hosting a number of in-person and online focus groups for teachers and school leaders.
In-person focus groups
NCCA will host in-person focus groups at the following locations.
| Athlone Education Centre | March 13th, 3.45pm-5.15pm |
| Cavan (Cavan Crystal Hotel) | March 19th, 3.45pm-5.15pm |
| Dublin West Education Centre | March 20th, 3.45pm-5.15pm |
| Waterford Teachers’ Centre | March 21st, 3.45pm-5.15pm |
| Sligo Education Centre | April 9th, 3.45pm-5.15pm |
| Cork Education Centre | April 10th, 3.45pm-5.15pm |
| Galway Education Centre (through Irish) | April 16th, 3.45-5.15pm |
During the in-person focus group, you will be asked to share your views on the draft primary curriculum specifications. To sign up for an in-person focus group please submit your details using this form:
In-person focus group registration form
Online focus groups
NCCA will also facilitate online focus group meetings specific to each draft curriculum specification.
| Modern Foreign Languages in the Primary Language Curriculum | April 17th, 7pm-8pm |
| Arts Education (Art, Music, Drama) | April 18th, 7pm-8pm |
| Wellbeing (PE and SPHE) | April 23rd, 7pm-8pm |
| Social and Environmental Education (History and Geography) | April 24th, 7pm-8pm |
| Science, Technology and Engineering Education | April 25th, 7pm-8pm |
Online focus group registration form
Focus group for parents
| Online focus group for parents on the new draft curriculum | May 7th, 7pm-8pm |
There are a number of questionnaires for those working in education and parents/ guardians.
Questionnaires for educational professionals
Below you will find a questionnaire for each of the draft curriculum specifications, as well as a general questionnaire on the alignment of the specifications with the Primary Curriculum Framework.
Questionnaire on the Draft Arts Education Curriculum Specification
Questionnaire on the Draft Primary Language Curriculum including Modern Foreign Language
Questionnaire on the Draft Social and Environmental Education Curriculum Specification
Questionnaire on the Science, Engineering and Technology Education Curriculum Specification
Questionnaire on the Draft Wellbeing Curriculum Specification
Questionnaire on the alignment with Primary Curriculum Framework
Questionnaire for parents / guardians
Organisations or individuals can make a written submission using the form below.
Please read the draft specifications, which can be accessed in the first tab, in advance of completing this submission.
In January 2024, NCCA invited expressions of interest from primary schools and special schools to participate in the schools networks component of the consultation process. The expression of interest form is now closed and thank you to all schools who submitted an application.
Five Schools Networks are now up and running, one network for each draft curriculum specification. The schools in the networks represent a wide range of schools types and contexts.
NCCA will work with these schools from March to June 2024. During this time, the schools will attend two in-person meetings and two online meetings with other schools in the network, as well as work with NCCA staff during a school visit the school.
We greatly appreciate the value and importance of working directly with schools to benefit from the experience and expertise of teachers and school leaders. The feedback gained from the school-based consultation, combined with other consultation components, will inform the finalisation of the primary curriculum specifications.