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What children learn in each class

A plain-English guide to Maths, English and Irish in primary school in Ireland – so you know what your child is working on, from Junior Infants to 6th Class.

1st Class · Stage 2 (1st and 2nd Class): children start reading and writing more independently and build strong number skills.

Maths

Primary Mathematics Curriculum (2023)

  • Numbers to 99: tens and units
  • Adding and subtracting within 20 in their head
  • Two-digit adding and subtracting
  • Halves and quarters of shapes and groups
  • Money: coins up to €1
  • Time: o'clock and half past
  • Properties of 2D and 3D shapes (sides, corners, faces)
  • Simple pictograms and block graphs

English

Primary Language Curriculum (2019)

  • Reading short books on their own
  • Phonics: sh, ch, th, ai, ee, oa…
  • Answering questions about a story
  • Writing a few sentences in order (news, recounts)
  • Capital letters, full stops and question marks
  • Spelling common words correctly
  • Many schools start joined (cursive) handwriting

Gaeilge (Irish)

Primary Language Curriculum (2019)

  • Reading simple Irish words and sentences
  • Writing simple words and labels
  • Talking about what they're doing: Tá mé ag ithe, Tá mé ag rith
  • Asking and answering questions on familiar themes
  • More vocabulary for school, home, food and clothes

Easy ways to help at home

  • Let your child read to you, and keep reading to them too
  • Use real money in shops and let them count the change
  • Ask about their day using simple Irish phrases

Good to know

  • The official curriculum sets goals for two-year stages (Infants, 1st–2nd, 3rd–4th, 5th–6th). The points for each class are typical examples – every school plans its own order, so your child may meet some topics a little earlier or later.
  • Children learn at different speeds. If something here seems far ahead of where your child is, that's completely normal – their teacher is happy to help with any questions.
  • Standardised tests in English reading and Maths take place at the end of 2nd, 4th and 6th Class.
  • In Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools, children learn through Irish, so their Irish is usually well ahead of this guide.

Sources: Primary Mathematics Curriculum (2023) and Primary Language Curriculum (2019), NCCA – curriculumonline.ie. More parent resources: ncca.ie/en/primary/resources-for-parents.