Supporting the Curriculum and Assessment in 2020/21
Overview of the Northern Ireland Curriculum
The Northern Ireland Curriculum
The curriculum offers flexibility and specifies a minimum entitlement for all pupils. Schools have considerable scope to tailor this entitlement and to provide learning opportunities adapted to their own context and their pupils' needs.
Watch the short video below to find out about the curriculum in Northern Ireland.
Assessment in Northern Ireland
Assessment is the cornerstone of good learning and teaching. It can make a vital contribution to improving educational outcomes for all pupils. It’s about collecting, interpreting and using information to give a deeper appreciation of what pupils know and understand, their skills and capabilities, and what their learning experiences enable them to do.
See our Assessment page for a short video about assessment in Northern Ireland, along with resources and links to the Assessment and Reporting section for each key stage.
Quick Guides to the Curriculum for Parents
Parents/Carers might also find our Quick Guides to the Curriculum helpful. These give information on what to expect when your child starts primary and/or post-primary school.
The Big Picture
The Big Picture of the Curriculum for each key stage provides an at-a-glance overview of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, showing how important aspects join together to ensure a relevant and meaningful experience with learners at its core.
The Big Picture of Assessment and Reporting provides an overview of the requirements for Foundation Stage to Key Stage 3.
For more details, select the Big Picture below that's relevant to you.
Primary (Years 1–7)
Blianta 1–7 den bhunscoil
Key Stage 3 (Years 8–10)
Eochairchéim 3 (Blianta 8–10)
Key Stage 4 (Years 11 and 12)
Eochairchéim 4 (Blianta 11 agus 12)
Curriculum Delivery during 2020/21
For school guidance and ideas for exploring themes related to COVID-19, please see the Curriculum Delivery page. For other learning resources, please see the links below.
Wellbeing Hub
The Wellbeing Hub shows how the Northern Ireland Curriculum promotes the learning and development of skills that support pupils’ wellbeing and mental health. It also supports the Emotional Health and Wellbeing Framework for Children and Young People in Education that’s being developed collaboratively by the Departments of Education and Health, the Public Health Agency, the Health and Social Care Board, and the Education Authority.
On the hub, you’ll find a range of helpful and relevant learning activities, including CCEA resources, and links to other organisations that support the objectives of the curriculum. It also features some of the CCEA qualifications with specification content that can support the promotion of mental health and wellbeing.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Resources
The following resources may be helpful for schools and parents/carers of pupils who are experiencing remote and/or hybrid learning. Choose a link below to see CCEA resources that support the Areas of Learning, the Cross-Curricular Skills, the Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities and Assessment for Learning along with relevant external resources.