Primary education consists of an eight year cycle: junior infants, senior infants, and first to sixth classes. The primary curriculum aims to provide a broad learning experience and encourages a rich variety of approaches to teaching and learning that cater for the different needs of individual children. The primary curriculum is designed to nurture the child in all dimensions of his or her life—spiritual, moral, cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and physical. Some aspects of the primary curriculum are under review. A new language curriculum is currently being developed.
Curriculum Areas
The primary curriculum is presented in seven areas, some of which are further subdivided into subjects.
Arts education comprises of Visual Arts, Drama and Music. For more information read below.
The Arts Education curriculum consists of three subjects: Music, Drama and Visual arts. The curriculum enables children to explore and express ideas, feelings and experiences through music, drama and the visual arts.
The Visual arts curriculum is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum consists of six strands:
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999).
The Arts Education curriculum consists of three subjects: Music, Drama and Visual arts. The curriculum enables children to explore and express ideas, feelings and experiences through music, drama and the visual arts.
The Drama curriculum is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum includes one strand that consists of:
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999).
The Arts Education curriculum consists of three subjects: Music, Drama and Visual arts. The curriculum enables children to creatively express ideas, feelings and experiences through music, drama and the visual arts.
Music is for children from junior infants to sixth class. Children are introduced to music reading and writing, to song singing and to playing classroom instruments.
The Music curriculum has three interrelated strands:
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999).
The Mathematics curriculum is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum identifies
Discussion, hands-on experience with materials, and active learning are encouraged as well as the development of mathematical language to share ideas and thinking.
A new primary mathematics curriculum is currently in development and will be published as a single specification from junior infants to 6th class in late 2021.
It started out as a preschool with five students in a church located in the heart of Princeton. Growing rapidly, the school moved into a larger church building on All Saints.
It started out as a preschool with five students in a church located in the heart of Princeton. Growing rapidly, the school moved into a larger church.
Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) consists of three subjects: Science, Geography and History. SESE enables children to explore, investigate and develop an understanding of local and wider environments.
History is for all children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum supports children to develop basic skills as an historian through a knowledge and understanding of people, events and developments in the past.
The curriculum is presented in two sections:
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999).
Geography is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum enables children to make sense of their surroundings and the wider world. They do so by developing a range of geographical skills as they explore the natural and human elements of local and wider environments.
The curriculum is presented in two sections:
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999).
Science is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum supports children to develop basic scientific skills through a knowledge and understanding of science.
The curriculum is presented in two sections:
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999).
The Physical Education (PE) is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum contributes to children’s overall development by helping them to lead full, active and healthy lives.
The PE curriculum provides a balanced range of activities for children through the six strands:
•Athletics
•Dance
•Gymnastics
•Games
•Outdoor and adventure activities
•Aquatics.
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999
The development and implementation of the curriculum in religious education in primary schools remains the responsibility of the relevant patron bodies.
