Teaching in Northern Ireland : Curriculum

Schools in Northern Ireland follow the Northern Ireland curriculum. It is similar in structure to the curriculum in England and Wales, being split into:

• primary (foundation stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2);
• post-primary or secondary (Key Stages 3 and 4);
• post-16 education.

However, the content reflects a greater emphasis on skills development, creativity and enterprise via a more minimalist statutory curriculum. An Entitlement Framework guarantees all pupils access to a minimum of 24 courses at Key Stage 4 and 27 courses at post-16, delivered through collaborative arrangements between schools.

Further details can be found at Northern Ireland Curriculum .

The Transfer Test (11+), which previously determined academic selection for secondary schools in Northern Ireland, is no longer used. Instead, the Department of Education recommends that schools determine transfer arrangements by community, geographical and family criteria. Many grammar schools, however, have introduced their own admissions tests.