AQO 2724/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 06/11/2025
Answered On Date: 19/11/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the independent Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum.

Answer:

The Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum completed in June 2025. The review, undertaken by Lucy Crehan, provided a focused, time-bound evaluation of the current Northern Ireland curriculum.

The Review was clear, Northern Ireland needs a new curriculum which is purpose-led, knowledge-rich, continuous and coherent, specific and focused, flexible and inclusive. A curriculum that ensures every child enjoys an ambitious and knowledge rich curriculum that develops their learning in a well sequenced and explicit manner.

On 27 August, I announced the establishment of the Curriculum Taskforce Advisory Committee that will oversee, direct and lead the reform of the Northern Ireland Curriculum.

Led by Christine Counsell with Lucy Crehan as Deputy, the Committee includes a wealth of experience of curriculum design, classroom practice, evaluation and implementation. Their role is to guide the development of a new, coherent and knowledge-rich curriculum framework.

Currently, the membership of subject working groups is being finalised. The working groups are made up of teachers, academics and subject specialists, who will draft the reformed content for each subject area from foundation stage to Key Stage 3. The groups will be fully operational in the coming weeks. A new framework will be presented to me in March 2026, in advance of a public consultation. It is my ambition that the new Curriculum Framework will be implemented for September 2027.