News release

Grades Primary-to-3 Curriculum to Build Strong Math, Literacy Foundation

Education and Early Childhood Development

A streamlined and innovative curriculum with a strong foundation in math and literacy will better support important learning for grades Primary-to-3 students beginning in September.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey introduced the curriculum today, May 20, to 200 early elementary teachers and principals from across the province.

Department staff have worked with teachers since February to make the changes that will see most subjects integrated into the two main areas of literacy and math. They also reduced the number of learning outcomes by more than two-thirds to focus on the essential learning outcomes so there are clearer expectations on student learning.

"The curriculum changes will help students acquire a solid foundation in math and literacy that will benefit them throughout their school years," said Ms. Casey.

"We are responding to what more than 3,000 teachers told us in the fall as part of the minister's panel consultations on public education. We need a curriculum that is focused on essentials and provides our students with the skills they need to succeed in school and life."

The streamlined P-to-3 curriculum addresses several challenges teachers have identified, including extra time to teach core subjects, supports for combined grade classes and constant monitoring and intervention as students learn to read, write and do math.

The P-to-3 curriculum is one of the more than 20 new initiatives coming to Nova Scotia schools this September as part of the government's five-year education action plan to renew, refocus and rebuild the education system.

"Being part of the design and development team has been a wonderful opportunity to help shape what will be happening in P-to-3 classrooms across the province," said Michael Macdonald, teacher at John MacNeil Elementary School in Dartmouth.

"The changes will create rich learning opportunities for our students while focusing on reading, writing and math."

The new curriculum development model is designed to ensure curriculum is continuously updated to reflect modern trends in education. The entire P-to-12 curriculum will be reviewed and streamlined over the next few years.