The Irish primary education system aims to provide a holistic education to enable children to live their lives to the full and to realise their potential as unique individuals.
Please check out the NCCA website for more information here.
As a parent, you play a key role in your child's education.
The NCCA has developed a number of resources to help you to support your child's learning in primary school. Check them out here.
The Primary School Curriculum (1999) outlines the contents of children’s learning—the what and how of children’s learning—for children’s first eight years in school, from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum aims to:
- develop each child’s potential to the full
- encourage a love of learning
- help children develop skills they will use all their lives.
The curriculum is presented in seven areas, some of which are further subdivided into subjects. These are:
- The Primary Language Curriculum: English and Gaeilge (2019)
- Mathematics (2023)
- Social, environmental and scientific education (SESE): history, geography and science
- Arts education: visual arts, music and drama
- Physical education
- Social, personal and health education (SPHE)
- Religious or ethical education is the responsibility of the different school patron bodies.
The Primary School Curriculum: Introduction provides more information. Go to any of the seven curriculum areas to find more detailed information about subjects in the Primary curriculum.