The Primary School Curriculum ( 1999) identifies the learning
content for each subject in terms of content objectives in subject strands, complemented, in most cases,
by skills. These content objectives are expressed by age/stage:
infant classes (ages 4-6)
first and second classes (ages 6-8)
third and fourth classes (ages 8-10)
fifth and sixth classes (ages 10-12).
Depending on the specific subject, the content objectives are expressed by:
strand (e.g. English)
skills and strands (e.g. mathematics)
skills and concepts, and strands (e.g. history)
concepts and strands (e.g. music).
Detailed curriculum documents for each of the 11 subjects included in the primary curriculum, and for
each of the stages identified above, are available online. (The curriculum for religious education is the
responsibility of the different church authorities.) (
Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework, is expressed in terms of learning goals. These
learning goals apply to children from birth to six years of age. (NCCA, n.d.b.)