The challenges primary school curriculum overhaul could bring - as told by a teacher

"Smaller rural schools with mixed classes will struggle as older students learn about different sexual orientations and begin a foreign language"

"I read this week's announcement on the redeveloped school curriculum with particular interest."

"As somebody who has spent the past seven years working as a primary-school teacher in both rural Ireland and in inner-city classrooms, my first thought was that it's unlikely it will have any great immediate effect."

A redeveloped primary-school curriculum requires older pupils to learn about different sexual orientations and to begin a foreign language. Smaller rural schools with mixed-age classes face particular difficulty implementing these elements due to limited staff, resources, and combined classrooms. Experienced primary-school teachers who have worked in both rural and inner-city settings expect limited immediate effect from the curriculum changes because of practical constraints in small schools. Logistical challenges include organizing age-appropriate instruction within mixed classes and sourcing qualified language teachers, making rollout more complex and slower in smaller rural settings.

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