Curriculum Reform
Curriculum Reform is a key commitment in the TransformED Strategy and Delivery Plan. This page provides information about the Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum and the Curriculum Reform Programme.
The Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum
The Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum was led by Lucy Crehan, an educational consultant and former teacher with experience in working in high performing education systems. The Review was published in June 2025 and made it clear that Northern Ireland needs a new statutory curriculum framework.
Why do we need a new curriculum?
Our current curriculum is now nearly 20 years old. The review found that the current framework is too high-level which has led to inconsistency across schools, with teachers often left to make disproportionate decisions about content. Instead of setting a clear and ambitious benchmark for all learners, the curriculum has allowed gaps to emerge. It also lacks coherence, making it difficult for learning to build logically over time, as there is not clear, well-sequenced content for each subject supported by high-quality resources. Equally, there is no bespoke content for Irish-medium or special schools.
Updating the curriculum is essential to ensure progression, reduce teacher workload and provide every learner with an excellent education that prepares them for life and work in the 21st century.
This webinar provides an overview of the Curriculum Reform Programme
How is this work being taken forward?
In response to the Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, the Minister established a Curriculum Taskforce to take forward the design and development of the new curriculum. The Taskforce is chaired by leading educationalist Christine Counsell, with Lucy Crehan as Deputy Chair.
In August 2025, the Minister announced the full membership of the Curriculum Taskforce Advisory Committee (TAC). The Committee includes a wealth of experience of curriculum design, classroom practice, evaluation and implementation.
Full biographies and information on each of the TAC members can be found in the link below.
How is the new Curriculum being drafted?
The Taskforce Advisory Committee is supported by a number of Subject Working Groups made up of local teachers and subject specialists supported by local academics and international experts. These groups will develop relevant capabilities and content, linked to specific curricular strands and subjects.
The role of the Subject Working Groups is to:
- Draft curriculum content for specific subjects and key stages.
- Help shape an ambitious and knowledge-rich curriculum that is grounded in classroom experience, capable of responding to the diverse needs of learners, schools and communities.
- Collaborate with experts to ensure the new curriculum is structured to be continuous and coherent.
A unique open call was issued for membership of the Subject Working Groups, ensuring local teacher voices are at the heart of the process.
Subject Working Groups were established in October 2025 and will carry out their work between November 2025 and February 2026, with the full curriculum framework scheduled for public consultation in spring 2026.