Conference Agenda

The Primary School Curriculum in Ireland is undergoing a review and redevelopment process, which has reached an advanced stage. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), responsible for advising the Minister for Education on curriculum and assessment matters, has adopted a collaborative approach to curriculum development. This approach has been guided by research, sustained engagement with school communities, consultation, and deliberation. Throughout these processes, the concept of 'agency' has emerged as fundamental in the redesign of the new curriculum, applicable to both teachers and children. In March 2023, the Minister for Education launched the Primary Curriculum Framework (Department of Education, 2023), which outlines the vision, principles, and components of the redeveloped curriculum. The framework envisions an 'agentic' teacher and underscores the significance of empowering children to exhibit 'agency' through independent action and decision-making about and in their learning. The symposium papers presented here offer an overview of the research, deliberation, consultation, and collaborative work with school communities that have contributed to the emergence of the concept of 'agency' within the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum in Ireland. Consistent with the theme of the conference, these papers recognise the significant role of enhanced professional learning in fostering an agentic teaching profession.

In the world of education, curriculum development stands as a crucial endeavour, shaping the knowledge, skills, dispositions and values of children and young people. In Ireland, an emphasis on research-informed deliberation within the partnership model employed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) stands as a cornerstone in fostering robust and inclusive curriculum development processes. This paper explores the role of research-informed deliberation in supporting teacher and child agency in a redeveloped Primary School Curriculum. In doing so it sheds light on its transformative potential, offering valuable insights for educational systems worldwide.

The NCCA is a statutory body in Ireland that provides advice to the Minister for Education regarding curriculum and assessment. It operates as a representative and deliberative structure, comprising 26 members who represent a wide range of educational stakeholders. The Council's Research Strategy 2023-2026 emphasizes the importance of both internal and external research activities, guided by principles of integrity, inclusivity, influence, impact, and accessibility (NCCA, 2023, p. 2).

In recent years, the Council have been engaged in the review and redevelopment of the Primary School Curriculum. This development has been underpinned by an extensive deliberative process drawing on a significant body of research. Across recent research activity, the concepts of teacher and child agency have emerged as central considerations (Devine et al, 2020; Symonds et al, 2020; Sloan et al, 2021; Hayward et al, 2022; Sloan et al, 2022; Devine et al, 2023).

The Children’s School Lives Study (www.cslstudy.ie), Ireland’s first longitudinal study on the experiences of primary school children is an example of the research informing Council deliberations. The study tracks 4,000 children across 189 primary schools providing a rich and detailed understanding of children’s learning, their wellbeing and engagement, and their experiences of equality, diversity and inclusion. The findings from this study reveal that while children generally harbour a fondness for attending school and hold their teachers in high regard, their opportunities for decision-making within their learning are restricted or non-existent. Teachers place great importance on establishing strong relationships with their pupils and derive satisfaction from their teaching endeavours, yet also experience a sense of guilt when confronted with challenges in meeting the diverse needs of all children (Devine et al, 2023).

Deliberations on the redevelopment of the Primary School Curriculum continue. What is emerging is a nuanced understanding of the implications teacher and child agency have for curriculum specifications, and the conditions within which they are enacted. Taking an ecological stance, as described by Priestley et al. (2015), Council have drawn attention to the importance of context and the conditions necessary to support agency. Prominent among these conditions, and aligned with the conference theme, is enhanced professional learning opportunities for teachers (NCCA, 2022, p. 3), and a recognition that the vision of learning, teaching and assessment set forth in the Primary Curriculum Framework (Department of Education, 2023) will not develop organically, at least not for most schools, and requires sustained attention from key stakeholders and decision-makers as curriculum developments progress.

The emergence of a "new normal" in the field of curriculum development has been highlighted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2020, p. 9). This new normal is characterised by a paradigm shift towards collaborative decision-making and shared responsibilities involving a range of stakeholders, including children, parents, and the wider public. Within this evolving landscape, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in Ireland demonstrates a commitment to embracing diverse voices and perspectives in its development processes. This paper aims to explore two specific processes employed by the NCCA, namely consultation and engagement with networks of schools, and considers how these processes foster ‘agency’ among the stakeholders involved.

Through extensive consultation processes that involve schools, early childhood settings, the public, and other educational stakeholders, the NCCA ensures the inclusion of a wide range of perspectives, resulting in a curriculum that authentically reflects the needs and aspirations of society. Moreover, the NCCA actively upholds the rights of children to have their voices heard in matters that affect them, aligning with Ireland's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as emphasised by Fleming (2015). By engaging children in shaping the curriculum and assessment advice through age- and stage-appropriate consultation methods, the NCCA enables their meaningful participation in decision-making processes. Collaborations with the Teaching Council, such as initiatives like BEACONS (Bringing Education Alive for our Communities on a National Scale) (NCCA, 2023a; 2023b) and Hub na nÓg, the national centre of excellence and coordination on giving children a voice in decision-making, further exemplify the NCCA's dedication to empowering children to shape their educational experiences.

According to Walsh (2016, p. 11), it is essential for curriculum development to strike a balance between being ‘aspirational in tone and content’ while also considering ‘the societal and educational context in which it will be implemented’. To address this, networks also play a crucial role within the NCCA's approach, facilitating the integration of teachers' and school leaders' experiences into curriculum development. The active engagement through the ‘School's Forum’, a network of 60 primary schools, including some special schools, post-primary schools and preschools, ensures that curriculum developments are both practical and ambitious. Involving teachers and school leaders in decision-making processes provides the NCCA with access to their expertise and first-hand knowledge of Irish primary classrooms. This collaborative engagement enhances understanding of the complexities inherent in these educational settings, informing contextually relevant decisions for curriculum development.

Through the active involvement of stakeholders directly involved in the educational process, such as children, teachers, and school leaders, the NCCA strives to support an agentic system, where all stakeholders possess a sense of ownership and actively contribute to shaping the curriculum, thereby strengthening the link between policy and practice. This approach ensures that the curriculum remains firmly grounded in the experiences and needs of those involved, ultimately fostering a more agentic education system in Ireland.