How schooling is organised
Ireland has a centralised system. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment develops the curriculum, the Department of Education sets policy, and the State Examinations Commission runs the two examinations that structure secondary school: the Junior Cycle examination at around 15 and the Leaving Certificate at 17 or 18.
Between them sits Transition Year, an optional and distinctively Irish year with no external examination, intended for work experience and broader projects. Irish is a core subject throughout, and a significant number of students attend Irish-medium Gaelscoileanna, where all subjects are taught through Irish.
What the state bodies publish
The State Examinations Commission publishes past Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle papers with marking schemes, at both Higher and Ordinary level, across many years. Because the Leaving Certificate is the sole basis for CAO university points, these papers are the central revision resource in Irish education and they are entirely free.
The NCCA's curriculum specifications set out learning outcomes for every subject, and Scoilnet — the Department's official portal — aggregates vetted teaching material tagged by subject and level. RTÉ's education strand and the National Museum of Ireland add further free material.
Getting the most out of it
Decide Higher or Ordinary level early and revise from the matching papers; the difference in demand is substantial. Marking schemes matter unusually much in the Irish system because Leaving Certificate marks are awarded against specific stated points, so working through a scheme teaches you how marks are actually allocated.
Note that a portion of assessment in several subjects now comes from coursework and oral or practical components completed before the written examination. Check the weighting for your subjects — those components are often the easiest marks to secure.
Resource listings
Assessment
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State Examinations Commission (SEC)
Non-departmental public body responsible for state examinations including Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations, with new role in external assessment of 40% continuous assessment components from 2025
Examination Authority3rd Year, 6th YearAll Examination SubjectsCurriculum-aligned
Curriculum
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Curriculum Online - Irish Education Curriculum
Comprehensive online resource hosting all current national curricula, syllabuses, guidelines and frameworks for primary and post-primary education
Curriculum PlatformJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearCurriculum-aligned
Curriculum Development
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National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)
Statutory body responsible for curriculum development and assessment policy, established under the Education Act 1989, leading Senior Cycle reform implementation
Curriculum AuthorityJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearCurriculum-aligned
Educational Equity
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Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS)
Main policy initiative addressing educational disadvantage with additional resources and support, expanded in March 2022 to include 310 additional schools, covering over 180,000 students
Equity ProgrammeJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearAdditional SupportCurriculum-aligned
General
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Department of Education and Youth
Irish government department responsible for education policy, funding and direction for all levels of education, led by Minister Helen McEntee
Ministry PortalJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearCurriculum-aligned
Irish Language
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Irish Language Education and Gaeltacht Policy
Comprehensive Irish language education including Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht education, with implementation of new policy on Gaeltacht education and Irish-medium education development
Language ProgrammeJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearIrish LanguageIrish CultureGaeltacht StudiesCurriculum-aligned
Languages
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Primary Language Curriculum (PLC/CTB)
Comprehensive language curriculum covering English, Irish and modern foreign languages introduced in 2019, with foreign languages to be introduced at primary level from 2025/26
Language CurriculumJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6thEnglishIrishModern Foreign LanguagesCurriculum-aligned
Lower Secondary
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Junior Cycle Programme
Three-year programme for lower secondary education for grades 7-9, culminating in the Junior Cycle Examination
Secondary Programme1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd YearEnglishIrishMathematicsScienceCurriculum-aligned
Mathematics
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Primary Mathematics Curriculum
New primary mathematics curriculum launched in September 2023, implemented from 2024/2025 academic year, focusing on mathematical proficiency, playfulness and real-life problem solving
Subject CurriculumJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6thMathematicsNumberAlgebraGeometryCurriculum-aligned
Primary Education
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Primary Curriculum Framework
New curriculum framework for primary and special schools published in March 2023, guiding learning, teaching and assessment for all children
Primary FrameworkJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6thLanguageMathematicsSTEM EducationArts EducationCurriculum-aligned
Quality Assurance
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Inspectorate Services
Educational inspection and evaluation services ensuring quality and standards in Irish schools, early learning settings and centers for education
Inspection ServiceJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearCurriculum-aligned
STEM Education
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STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026
Comprehensive Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education policy promoting STEM learning across all educational levels with ongoing implementation and review
STEM StrategyJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearScienceTechnologyEngineeringMathematicsCurriculum-aligned
Special Education
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Special Educational Needs Support Service
Comprehensive support services for students with special educational needs and inclusive education, governed by the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004
Support ServicesJunior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, TY, 5th Year, 6th YearSpecial SupportIndividual Education PlansCurriculum-aligned -
Senior Cycle Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes
New learning programmes for students with special educational needs who cannot access standard Leaving Certificate programmes, introduced for first time at Senior Cycle level in 2025
Alternative ProgrammesTY, 5th Year, 6th YearCommunicationLanguageLiteracyNumeracyCurriculum-aligned
Sustainability Education
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Climate Action and Sustainable Development Education
New Leaving Certificate subject introduced in September 2025 as part of Senior Cycle reform, focusing on environmental education and sustainability across curriculum areas
New Subject (2025)5th Year, 6th YearEnvironmental EducationClimate ActionSustainable DevelopmentCurriculum-aligned
Upper Secondary
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Senior Cycle Programme and Reform
Two or three-year programme including optional Transition Year and culminating in the Leaving Certificate, undergoing major reform from September 2025 with 40% continuous assessment components
Senior ProgrammeTY, 5th Year, 6th YearLeaving Certificate SubjectsVocational ProgrammesApplied LearningCurriculum-aligned
All resources listed here are published by government departments, ministries, statutory examination bodies or public broadcasters and were free to access when last checked. OffLearn is not affiliated with any of them. Links open on the publisher's own site. Found a dead link? Tell us and we will fix it.
Other countries
United States
The United States has no national curriculum — standards and materials are set state by state, so the state page is the one that matters.
Canada
Canada has no federal education department at all — each province and territory runs its own curriculum, in English, French or both.
Australia
Australia teaches a single national curriculum that each state and territory adapts, so useful material sits at both the federal and state level.
United Kingdom
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run four genuinely different systems with different curricula and different exams.
New Zealand
New Zealand centralises its curriculum and qualifications nationally, so nearly all official material comes from two agencies.
Chile
Chile pairs a national curriculum with unusually well-developed state-run open resource platforms.