Primary School Curriculum Curaclam na Bunscoile - NCCA

Transition from primary
to post-primary
The curriculum and
lifelong learning
One of the functions of primary education is to prepare children for
engaging effectively with education at second level. The importance of this
function is acknowledged in the general aims of the curriculum. The transition
from primary to post-primary education represents a significant and
challenging step in the child’s educational experience and may present
difficulties for some children. Consistency of approach between the primary
curriculum and junior cycle curricula, and the developmental nature of the
learning experience they offer, should help to ease children’s progress from
one level to the other. Furthermore, the detailed statement of content in
the primary curriculum, and the assessment procedures inherent in it, will
greatly assist in facilitating communication between teachers and schools
at both levels.
The experience of primary school is one element in an educational
continuum that includes pre-school care and development, second-level
and further education and training, and life experience. Lifelong learning,
which involves a continuing process of updating knowledge and renewing
skills, can help to equip the individual to cope with the rapidly changing
nature of modern life, with its unpredictable patterns of life and work. A
commitment to lifelong learning can be nurtured from the earliest years in
school, thus laying the foundation for the development of self-reliance in
learning and a sense of responsibility for personal fulfilment.
Primary School Curriculum Introduction
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Key issues in primary education