§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which subjects are to be part of the core curriculum in secondary intermediate schools; and what percentage of pupils in each board area take the subjects in the controlled and maintained sectors, respectively.
§ Mr. ScottThere is no prescribed core curriculum although religious education is compulsory. In practice, during their first three years, all pupils in secondary intermediate schools follow a wide curriculum which includes English, mathematics, science, geography, history, religious education, physical education and a range of creative and aesthetic subjects; the majority also study a language other than English. In fourth and fifth forms there tends to be a considerable measure of curricular differentiation. Percentages of pupils studying particular subjects are not available in the forms requested.