Key Stage 2 (Northern Ireland Curriculum): What to Teach (Northern Ireland)

Your Teacher Information Pack for Key Stage 2 (Northern Ireland Curriculum) in Northern Ireland: the curriculum structure, our short summaries with links to the official wording, and key dates.

Learn how – Teacher Information Packs: watch the 2-minute video · print (PDF) · also Year Planner setup

CCEA sets out Key Stages 1 and 2 together; the statutory requirements documents are separate for KS1 and KS2.

Plan the whole year: open this course in the Year Planner – every lesson dated around your term dates, with a coverage check. Free.

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What to teach

The Northern Ireland Curriculum is set out by Area of Learning. Below are the areas and strands as facts, with links to the statutory requirements on the CCEA website.

Language and Literacy

• Language and Literacy – statutory Area of Learning (see CCEA statutory requirements for content).

Official wording

Personal Development and Mutual Understanding

• Personal Development and Mutual Understanding – statutory Area of Learning (see CCEA statutory requirements for content).

Official wording

Mathematics and Numeracy

• Processes in Mathematics (strand of Mathematics and Numeracy)
• Number (strand of Mathematics and Numeracy)
• Measures (strand of Mathematics and Numeracy)
• Shape and Space (strand of Mathematics and Numeracy)
• Handling Data (strand of Mathematics and Numeracy)

Official wording · Statutory document · Statutory document

Physical Education

• Physical Education – statutory Area of Learning (see CCEA statutory requirements for content).

Official wording

Religious Education

• Religious Education – statutory Area of Learning (see CCEA statutory requirements for content).

Official wording

The Arts

• Art and Design (strand of The Arts)
• Drama (strand of The Arts)
• Music (strand of The Arts)

Official wording

The World Around Us

• The World Around Us – statutory Area of Learning (see CCEA statutory requirements for content).

Official wording

Cross-curricular skills and Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities

• Communication – part of the statutory Whole Curriculum Skills and Capabilities.
• Using Mathematics – part of the statutory Whole Curriculum Skills and Capabilities.
• Using ICT – part of the statutory Whole Curriculum Skills and Capabilities.
• Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities – part of the statutory Whole Curriculum Skills and Capabilities.

Official wording

Assessments and key dates

Statutory assessment in Northern Ireland is set by CCEA: check the CCEA website for current arrangements.

Some post-primary schools use academic selection. The transfer tests are not part of the Northern Ireland Curriculum or of CCEA statutory assessment; they are run by separate organisations and families decide whether a child sits them. Check the Department of Education and the test providers for current dates and rules.

Official documents

• ccea.org.uk/key-stages-1-2/curriculum

Trusted free resources

• CCEA – the official curriculum site.
• BBC Bitesize – videos and quizzes by nation and stage.

Links only: we don't copy their content and we aren't connected to these organisations.

More packs

All Northern Ireland packs · Find another TIP