Education Minister Paul Givan has unveiled plans for the design and development of new, tailored curriculum frameworks specifically for Special Schools and Irish-medium education.

Applications are officially open for school leaders and educational practitioners to join dedicated working groups established to drive this initiative forward.

Inviting applications, the Minister stated: "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."

The initiative follows findings from the Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, which determined that the existing framework fails to adequately meet the requirements of many students attending Special Schools or those receiving education through the medium of Irish. Minister Givan continued: "I want to ensure that the new Northern Ireland curriculum fully reflects the needs of pupils in Special Schools, supporting learning that is accessible, meaningful and tailored to individual development. I also want to strengthen provision for Irish-medium education to ensure pupils can access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers, while recognising the distinct linguistic, developmental and pedagogical demands of immersion learning."

The Minister has selected Professor Noel Purdy OBE to spearhead the creation of the bespoke curriculum framework for Special Schools. Professor Purdy will be supported by vice-chair James Curran MBE, the Principal of Harberton Special School.

Speaking on his appointment to the role, Professor Purdy 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."

Meanwhile, Orla Flanagan, Principal of Gaelscoil na bhFál, who is currently on secondment to the Department of Education, has been appointed to coordinate the development of the dedicated curriculum strands for Irish-medium education.

Over the next few months, the Department of Education intends to publish additional curriculum materials and commission further workstreams to aid implementation. These upcoming developments will include a new Religious Education syllabus, evidence-informed pedagogical principles to guide classroom practice, and a Key Stage 4 and post-16 enrichment curriculum aimed at broadening student experiences and readiness for adult life.

Further details regarding the practitioner working groups can be accessed on the Department of Education's website at www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/curriculum-reform.