Major curriculum shake-up planned for Special Schools and Irish-medium education

Education Minister Paul Givan

The Education Minister has launched a major new phase of Northern Ireland’s curriculum reform programme, announcing plans to create bespoke curriculum frameworks for Special Schools and Irish-medium education after a review found the current curriculum is not adequately meeting the needs of many pupils.

The move marks a significant shift in how education is delivered to thousands of children and young people, with dedicated working groups set to begin work from September 2026 to help design tailored approaches for learners whose needs are not fully reflected within the existing curriculum.

Applications have now opened for teachers, practitioners and school leaders to join the specialist groups, with the Department of Education seeking frontline expertise to help shape the next stage of reform.

Curriculum review identified shortcomings

The announcement follows findings from the Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, which concluded that the current framework does not adequately serve many pupils attending Special Schools or those being educated through the medium of Irish.

Education Minister Paul Givan said educators have played a central role in the curriculum reform process over the past 10 months and that their experience will remain crucial as the work progresses.

He said:

“Over the past 10 months, local educators have been at the heart of our curriculum reform programme. Their expertise, insight and lived experience have been vital in shaping a curriculum that is both ambitious and responsive to the diverse needs of learners across Northern Ireland.

“We have been working to develop a curriculum that is ambitious, well-sequenced and progressive. Building on this foundation, I am now taking forward targeted work to develop a bespoke curriculum for Special Schools and bespoke curriculum strands to support Irish-medium education. It is essential that this work is shaped by those with direct, frontline experience.”

Special Schools framework to be developed

The Minister said he wants the new curriculum to better reflect the needs of pupils in Special Schools by supporting learning that is accessible, meaningful and tailored to individual development.

To lead that work, the Department has appointed Professor Noel Purdy to chair the development of the new framework, supported by James Curran as vice-chair.

Professor Purdy described the project as a major opportunity to reshape learning for pupils across a wide range of special educational settings.

He said:

“This is vitally important work and represents a significant opportunity to create a world-leading curriculum framework that places accessible, meaningful and developmentally appropriate learning at its heart for pupils across the range of special school contexts.”

According to the Department, the Special Schools Practitioner Working Group will:

• Review current curriculum approaches across Special Schools

• Identify core curriculum entitlements for pupils

• Develop a flexible non-linear progression model

• Produce draft curriculum content and implementation guidance

Irish-medium education to receive dedicated curriculum strands

Alongside the Special Schools work, the Department is also developing bespoke curriculum strands designed specifically for Irish-medium education.

The work will be coordinated by Orla Flanagan, principal of Gaelscoil na bhFál, who is currently seconded to the Department of Education.

The Minister said the aim is to ensure pupils educated through Irish can access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers while recognising the distinct linguistic, developmental and pedagogical demands associated with immersion learning.

Irish-medium education working groups will focus on:

• Irish

• English and biliteracy

• Mathematics

• History, Geography and Science

• Language acquisition through History, Geography and Science at Foundation Stage

Further reforms planned

The Department has confirmed that additional curriculum materials and supporting workstreams will be published over the coming months as the wider reform programme continues.

Planned developments include:

• A new Religious Education syllabus

• Evidence-informed pedagogical principles to support classroom practice

• A Key Stage 4 and post-16 enrichment curriculum designed to broaden educational experiences and prepare young people for adult life

Working groups are expected to become operational from September 2026.

Practitioners who meet the eligibility criteria can apply through the Department’s consultation portal. Applications for both Special Schools and Irish-medium education working groups must be submitted by Friday 3 July 2026.

Further information is available on the Department of Education curriculum reform page: www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/curriculum-reform

Applications can be submitted online at:

• Special Schools: https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/de/specialschoolsworkinggroup

• Irish-medium education: https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/de/imschoolsworkinggroup

The latest announcement represents one of the most targeted elements of Northern Ireland’s curriculum reform programme to date and signals a growing focus on ensuring educational provision better reflects the differing needs of learners across the school system.