Teaching outdoor and adventure activities: an investigation of a primary school physical education professional development p

Section One: 
Education in Ireland 
Primary physical education in Ireland can be understood only against the 
background of its general educational system. It is important to understand the reforms 
and changes which the State has undergone to appreciate the current landscape of 
physical education. The system of education has evolved in Ireland over the past two 

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centuries through a series of decisions, arrangements, and compromises. The Irish 
National School system was established in 1831. Since then the curriculum has 
undergone major changes in 1878, 1900, 1924, 1971 and 1999. Curriculum reform at 
each stage followed reviews from the bodies charged with primary school curricula at 
the time.
First or primary education is available, free, to all pupils and school is 
compulsory between the ages of six and sixteen years. Children may enrol in primary 
schools on or after their fourth birthday, although they are not obliged to attend until the 
age of six. The typical first level or primary school enrols pupils by age into eight year 
groups, ranging from junior infants to sixth class. The vast majority of schools are 
state-funded, catering for pupils from four to twelve years of age. Transition to 
secondary or post primary school is at age twelve, following completion of the primary 
or first level course. Administration of the Irish Education System is centralised in the 
Department of Education and Skills (DES) prior to 2010 known as the Department of 
Education and Science. There are 3,197 national (primary) schools, 470,270 primary 
pupils and 27,628 primary teachers, including special schools, in the Republic of Ireland 
(academic year 2006-2007) (Department of Education and Science, 2007).
The current Primary School Curriculum was launched in 1999. This curriculum 
builds on the 1971 ‘Curaclam na Bunscoile’ (Curriculum of the Primary School) 
encompassing it’s philosophical thrust, reflecting the thinking and aspirations of the 
National Convention on Education (1994), the White Paper on Education (1995) and the 
Education Act (1998) and incorporating current educational thinking and pedagogical 
best-practices (Duffy, 1997). The aims of primary education in Ireland are: 
to enable the child to live a full life as a child and to realise his or her 
potential as a unique individual; 
to enable the child to develop as a social being through living and co-
operating with others and so contribute to the good of society; 
to prepare the child for the continuum of learning (Government of 
Ireland, 1999a) 
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is responsible in 
Ireland for the development and publication of curricula and has the responsibility for 
devising the primary curriculum. Alongside the Primary School Curriculum 

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(Government of Ireland, 1999a), ‘Teacher Guidelines’ for each subject area were 
devised, to support the implementation of the curriculum. The curriculum and teacher 
guidelines were drafted after lengthy consultation with the major stakeholders in 
education. The Primary Curriculum is designed to nurture the child in all dimensions of 
his or her life – spiritual, moral, cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and 
physical (Government of Ireland, 1999a). The curriculum is divided into the following 
key areas: Language (English and Irish), Mathematics, Social, Environment and 
Scientific Education (History, Geography and Science), Arts Education (Visual Arts, 
Music and Drama), Physical Education and Social, Personal and Health Education.
Religion is also a subject studied in primary schools in Ireland and depends on the 
denomination of the school as to its syllabus.