Carol Nolan
Question:139. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the consultation process for the development of the primary curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26135/17]
View answerWednesday, 31 May 2017
Questions (139)
Written answers
In December last year, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment published proposals related to structure and time in the curriculum for primary schools. These proposals have formed the basis for extensive consultation since then. This consultation is the first time, in almost twenty years, that those working in primary education have had an opportunity to consider the structure of the curriculum, what it should comprise and how time should be allocated within it.
The consultation, which closed recently on May 26 used a number of different formats.
- A major consultative conference took place on March 28 in Dublin Castle and was attended by 190 delegates including teachers, principals, early childhood practitioners and managers, parents, researchers, policy-makers, and members of the wider public. Delegates participated in discussion group sessions as they explored the proposals. I addressed delegates in the afternoon of the conference. Further details about the conference, including recordings of sessions, can be accessed at www.ncca.ie/timestructureconf.
- 30+ bilateral meetings were held with different organisations and interest groups.
- 7 focus groups with teachers and principals were organised in different parts of the country. Some education partners additionally organised their own focus groups and used these to inform their written submissions as part of the consultation.
- 2,000+ responses were made to an online questionnaire at www.ncca.ie/timeandstructure.
- 55+ written submissions were received.
- consultation meetings with children were organised.
An interim report on the consultation will be discussed by the NCCA Council in June with a final report in the autumn setting out findings of the consultation. Informed by these findings, the NCCA will develop an overview of what a redeveloped primary curriculum might look like—its purpose, philosophical underpinnings, the stages the curriculum will be organised into, the form of curriculum that will apply at each stage—integrated themes, curriculum areas or subjects—the broad content of these, and how much time will be available for the curriculum components, whichever form they take. This work will be the focus of further consultation in 2018.