Teachers and principals to attend Athlone consultation event on new primary school curriculum

Local teachers and principals are due to attend a consultation event in Athlone this week about the new primary school curriculum.

Athlone Education Centre is the venue for the consultation event, which is taking place between 3.45pm and 5.15pm on Wednesday (March 13).

It's being organised by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), which this month opened the public consultation process on the redevelopment of the primary-level curriculum.

The NCCA said the gathering on Wednesday was one of a number of in-person focus groups taking place nationally which would give staff from local schools a chance to express their views on the curriculum and what's being proposed.

It said the current process represents the most significant redevelopment of the curriculum at primary level in 25 years.

Speaking about the consultation process, Education Minister Norma Foley said: "I encourage all educators, parents, and stakeholders to contribute to this consultation on the latest stage of primary curriculum change.

"Together, we can create a curriculum that empowers our children to thrive and succeed in our modern and changing world."

The consultation is designed to provide an opportunity for members of the public to have their say on the future of primary education by sharing their views on the draft curriculum's specifications for:

* Arts Education (Art, Drama and Music)

* Modern Foreign Languages in the Primary Language Curriculum

* Social and Environmental Education (History and Geography)

* Science, Technology and Engineering

* Wellbeing (Social, Personal and Health Education, and Physical Education).

Draft curriculum documents, published this month, set out a number of new proposals, some of which include placing an increased emphasis on Physical Education (PE) and social, personal and health education.

Among other changes, it also proposes introducing new aspects of learning such as Modern Foreign Languages (for children in third to sixth classes), Engineering, and a broader Arts Education, including dance and media arts.

The redeveloped curriculum is also placing a renewed focus on ‘how’ children learn, including play, inquiry, integrated learning, project-based learning, digital learning approaches, and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving.

Welcoming the opening of the consultation, Arlene Forster, NCCA's chief executive, noted: "The consultation beginning today marks another important step in redeveloping the primary curriculum.

"I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to get involved to help ensure that the curriculum continues to play its role in supporting great teaching and learning for all children across our primary and special schools in the years ahead."

The consultation runs until June 7. Further information can be found at the NCCA's dedicated Consultation webpage here.