Education Minister Paul Givan has opened an online consultation inviting teachers, school leaders and other education stakeholders to help design Northern Ireland’s next curriculum framework. The eight-minute survey, live until 28 November 2025, is the first public step in a programme of curriculum reform led by the newly-established Curriculum Taskforce.
The exercise matters because it will influence what every pupil is expected to learn over the next decade — from primary phonics to A-level physics — and could reshape classroom practice across roughly 1,100 schools.
Key features of the consultation
- The survey seeks views on each subject and on broader “Areas of Learning”, asking respondents to highlight current strengths, gaps and future priorities.
- Responses will feed directly into subject working groups under the Curriculum Taskforce Advisory Committee (TAC), announced in June 2025.
- According to Mr Givan, the aim is to “build on what is already working well in schools and support every learner to thrive”.
- Taskforce chair Christine Counsell says the group wants evidence of strong existing practice as well as ideas for “broader capabilities” such as critical thinking and digital literacy.
- The survey can be completed online via NI Direct’s consultation portal.
What happens next
The Department for Education has not yet published a detailed timeline, but officials indicate that:
- Initial survey analysis will be shared with subject working groups in early 2026.
- The Taskforce intends to publish draft curriculum proposals for further consultation “later in 2026”.
- Full implementation, if approved by the Executive, is unlikely before the 2028/29 academic year.
Information still missing
The announcement offers a useful entry point for professional voices, yet several practical aspects remain unclear:
- Funding: The press notice does not state how much resource will be allocated for developing new materials, training teachers or updating assessment frameworks.
- Stakeholder breadth: While educators are explicitly targeted, there is no specific mention of pupil, parent or employer engagement — groups whose insights could prove vital.
- Special Educational Needs (SEN): The survey’s approach to pupils with SEN or to inclusive teaching is not referenced, despite ongoing concerns about SEN support delays across Northern Ireland.
- Rural and small schools: Possible impacts on schools with limited subject specialists, particularly in remote areas, are not discussed.
Broader context and potential implications
Curriculum reform comes at a time when Northern Ireland faces teacher recruitment challenges, growing mental-health needs among pupils and funding pressures linked to post-COVID catch-up. Research by the Education and Training Inspectorate (2024) found that 38% of post-primary pupils felt “rarely” or “never” engaged in their learning. Updating content alone may not be enough to shift those outcomes.
Similarly, the last major curriculum overhaul (introduced 2007–09) promised cross-curricular skills but encountered uneven implementation. Without sustained investment in professional development, the new framework risks repeating that pattern.
Questions worth asking
- How will survey feedback translate into concrete curriculum changes, and will interim summaries be published for transparency?
- What budget has the Department set aside for teacher training and classroom resources linked to any new syllabus?
- How will the Taskforce ensure that the voices of pupils, parents and employers — not just educators — inform final proposals?
- What safeguards are planned to guarantee that curriculum changes do not widen attainment gaps for SEN learners or for pupils in small rural schools?
- Given workload concerns, how will teachers be supported to trial new content before full rollout?
Looking ahead
For now, the most immediate action is simple: educators who want a say have just over a fortnight to complete the survey. After the 28 November deadline, observers should watch for publication of response data, clarity on funding and a detailed implementation roadmap. Those details will reveal whether this reform can move beyond consultation to deliver meaningful learning gains for every child in Northern Ireland.