What age is Junior Infants?

About 4 to 5. Junior Infants is the first year of primary school in Ireland, about the age of a US pre-K child and England's Reception.

Is there a new maths curriculum in Irish primary schools?

Yes. The NCCA published a new Primary Mathematics Curriculum on 7 September 2023, the first since 1999, and schools have worked toward it from Junior Infants to 6th Class since September 2024.

Which classes do standardised tests in Ireland?

2nd, 4th and 6th Class, in English reading and maths, in May or June. Irish-medium schools also test Irish reading.

Ireland's Primary Curriculum

Also called Irish primary curriculum, Primary Curriculum Framework, NCCA, junior infants, senior infants, Primary Mathematics Curriculum, Junior Cycle, Leaving Certificate.

Ages Ages 4 to 12 in primary: Junior Infants to 6th ClassGrades Pre-K–12Planning A plan you adaptScreens Some screen timeShelf School curricula around the English-speaking worldUpdated November 2026

Irish primary school runs for eight years, from Junior Infants at about 4 to 5 to 6th Class at about 11 to 12, then post-primary school's Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. The curriculum is written by the NCCA for the Department of Education, and it is changing: a new Primary Curriculum Framework was launched in 2023, and a new Primary Mathematics Curriculum, the first since 1999, has been brought in from September 2024. This page explains the classes, the new maths, the standardised tests and how to support a child at home.

1 Where it came from

The Primary School Curriculum of 1999 set out subjects for each pair of classes. The NCCA has been redeveloping it since the late 2010s: the Primary Curriculum Framework was launched in March 2023, and the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum was published on 7 September 2023 with a Primary Mathematics Toolkit. After a year for teachers to get familiar with it, schools began working with the new maths curriculum from Junior Infants to 6th Class from September 2024. Other subjects are being redeveloped in turn.

2 The big ideas

Eight primary years. Junior and Senior Infants, then 1st to 6th Class, grouped in pairs for planning.
Two languages. English and Irish are both taught from the start in most schools, and Irish-medium schools teach through Irish.
Play and talk early. The new maths curriculum puts weight on playful, hands-on learning and mathematical talk, especially in the infant classes.
Broad areas in the new framework. The 2023 framework groups learning into broad curriculum areas, with more flexibility for schools than the 1999 subject list.

3 What a lesson looks like

A 2nd Class morning, as an illustration. The day begins with a short Irish lesson of songs and phrases, then English: a guided reading group reads a short book with the teacher while others write about the weekend. In maths, the class plays a game with dice and a hundred square to add two-digit numbers, then talks about the different ways they found the totals. In May or June, the class sits the standardised reading and maths tests, which the school uses to plan the next year.

4 Reading and math

Oral language, reading and writing are built together in English, and the same in Irish. Schools choose their own reading programmes, and many use a structured phonics programme in the infant classes. The new Primary Mathematics Curriculum is organised around strands such as number, algebra, measures, shape and space, and data and chance, with progression continua that show how understanding grows over the eight years, and with play, games and talk throughout.

5 The adult's job

Teachers plan from the curriculum and the NCCA's toolkits. Parents receive the results of the standardised tests in 2nd, 4th and 6th Class and an end-of-year report. At home, reading together in English and, where the family can, in Irish, and playing board and card games that use number, support both strands.

6 How progress is checked

Teachers assess throughout the year. Since 2012, English-medium primary schools have tested every child in English reading and maths in 2nd, 4th and 6th Class, in May or June, and send parents the results; Irish-medium schools test Irish reading too. At post-primary, the Junior Cycle ends in 3rd Year and the Senior Cycle with the Leaving Certificate.

7 Strengths and criticisms

Strengths

A long, gentle start. Two infant years before 1st Class give time for language and play.
A modern maths curriculum. The 2023 maths curriculum replaces one from 1999, with a toolkit and progression continua for teachers.
Regular, shared information. The standardised tests in 2nd, 4th and 6th give parents a picture of reading and maths at three points.

Criticisms and watch-outs

In transition. Subjects are being redeveloped one after another, so some follow the 2023 framework and some the 1999 curriculum.
Class names confuse newcomers. 1st Class is the third year of school, about US 1st grade; Junior Infants is about pre-K.
Test stress. Some teachers' groups have raised concerns about stress from standardised tests; the tests are meant to inform teaching, not to rank children.

8 What the research says

This page describes a system rather than testing it. The NCCA's own notices give the dates: the Primary Curriculum Framework launched in March 2023, and the Primary Mathematics Curriculum published on 7 September 2023, replacing the 1999 curriculum, with schools working toward it from September 2024. Reporting in May 2025 confirmed that schools must complete standardised tests in 2nd, 4th and 6th Class. The research behind this page did not find studies of the new maths curriculum's effect yet.

9 How to try it

Find the class. A child who is 6 in September is usually in 1st Class; our curriculum finder puts Irish classes beside England's years and US grades.
Play maths games. Dice, cards and board games cover a lot of the infant and junior strands of the new curriculum.
Talk about methods. Ask "how did you work that out?": mathematical talk is a big part of the 2023 curriculum.
Read the test report. After the 2nd, 4th or 6th Class tests, ask the teacher what the results mean for next year.

10 Using Peabody with it

Numbers on PeabodyNumber, algebra, measures, shape and data in eight doors, the same strands as the new maths curriculum.
Hundreds chartA printable and on-screen hundred square for counting and adding games.
Peabody libraryFree books in English by reading level; for Irish, keep to the school's own books.
Curriculum finderJunior Infants to 6th Class beside England's years and US grades.

Peabody is free and has no ads. Pages on peabody.kids are for children; pages here are for the adults teaching them.

11 Programs that follow it

Programs and materials often named with this approach: Primary Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2023), Primary Mathematics Curriculum (NCCA, 2023), Primary Mathematics Toolkit, Junior Cycle, Leaving Certificate.

Questions people ask

What age is Junior Infants?: About 4 to 5. Junior Infants is the first year of primary school in Ireland, about the age of a US pre-K child and England's Reception.
Is there a new maths curriculum in Irish primary schools?: Yes. The NCCA published a new Primary Mathematics Curriculum on 7 September 2023, the first since 1999, and schools have worked toward it from Junior Infants to 6th Class since September 2024.
Which classes do standardised tests in Ireland?: 2nd, 4th and 6th Class, in English reading and maths, in May or June. Irish-medium schools also test Irish reading.

Sources

Publication of the new Primary Mathematics Curriculum, NCCA (2023).
New Primary Mathematics Curriculum launched, NCCA (2023).
Standardised tests: what do my child's scores mean?, The Irish Times (2025).

Northern Ireland Curriculum: Northern Ireland's curriculum: a play-rich Foundation Stage in P1 and P2, two key stages to P7, six areas of learning, and how P1 lines up with Reception.
Curriculum for Excellence (Scotland): Scotland's curriculum from age 3 to 18: five levels that each span about three school years, P1 to P7 and S1 to S6, and how to follow it.
National Curriculum in England: England's year groups, key stages and national checks, with what each year expects in reading and maths and how it lines up with US grades.
Problem-based math: Children work on a well-chosen problem first, share their ways of solving it, and the teacher then draws out the math.
Every approach in the curriculum guide

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