The primary school curriculum could be set for its first major shake-up in 20 years.

The changes, put forward by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, would see children starting to learn foreign languages as early as third class.

Meanwhile, the council is calling for schools to spend less time on religion and more time on PE and digital learning.

Arlene Foster from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment says the current curriculum is over 20 years old.

“The primary curriculum that schools are currently working with was published in 1999,” she said.

“So it is actually 21-years-old this year.

“But it is important to say that it has served teaching and learning really well in our primary schools throughout the country.”

The proposals are included in a draft framework published this morning.

They will see less time spent on traditional subjects in order to focus on wellbeing and options that have grown in importance over the years.

It would see the first four years of school focused on broad ‘curriculum areas’ rather than subjects.

The areas include languages (including English and Irish), maths, science and technology, wellbeing, arts education and social and environmental education.

Ms Foster said the changes would see a bigger focus on languages, technology and the arts.

A public consultation on the proposals will remain open until October this year.

Any changes would likely apply to children who are born in 2019 and 2020.