It's arguably the largest in-service teacher training programme in the history of the State and while most teachers are euphoric about it, parents are less than impressed. The problem for parents is that the much needed in-service for the revised primary school curriculum has already resulted in schools being closed for three days. Meanwhile, every school is due to close for a further three days during this academic year, to facilitate phase two of the in-service.

"The in-service is absolutely needed," comments Fionnuala Kilfeather, who is national co-ordinator of the National Parents Council - Primary, "and it's very good that all teachers, in all schools are doing it together. However, it's coming out of teaching time - the 183 days that are the children's entitlement to learning. With parent-teacher and staff meetings and other essential school activities, schools are losing up to two weeks teaching time each year.

"The Department of Education and Science has got to get its act together and tackle the issue. They must ensure that these activities take place out of teaching hours. It's a matter of negotiating with the unions - it could be negotiated at a price and would be cheaper than looking for substitutes." The launch of the revised curriculum last September was quickly followed by a series of two-day introductory seminars, involving 21,000 primary teachers. These seminars, which are designed to give teachers an overview of the new curriculum, have been followed by a school-based planning day.

Teachers, too, are aware of the problem - after all, many of them are also parents. "Teachers don't like the idea of school closures," admits Catherine Byrne, who is assistant general secretary of the INTO, "but they must be given the time to allow them the opportunity to engage with the new concepts and the new documentation. Given the concept of a whole-school approach to curriculum implementation, it's more effective to have school closures. Parents have to bear with it because, in the long term, their children will benefit."

All subjects in the revised curriculum have undergone a revision. The Irish course has been completely revamped and new subjects - science, drama and social, personal and health education (SPHE) - have been introduced. The focus is on the child as learner, and the use of a variety of teaching methodologies is an essential feature of the curriculum. While some teachers are well used to using a range of methodologies in the classroom, for others it represents a novel approach. Some teachers report being initially disappointed with the in-service - because they believed (incorrectly) that it would concentrate on the teaching of science and maths. In the event, these subjects were simply used as examples in the introductory sessions.

Aine Lawlor, who is national co-ordinator of the Primary Curriculum Support Programme, says that phase one of the in-service examined the background to and rational behind the changes in the revised curriculum and the changes of emphasis on the subject areas and gave an outline and experience of the new methodologies. Included, too, were opportunities for reflection on and discussion of the principles underpinning the curriculum.

"It was absolutely excellent," recalls Catriona Carney, who teaches at the Presentation Primary School in Dublin's Terenure. "I'd read the manuals but I didn't have a clear idea of what the curriculum entailed. I found the whole thing very motivating and the facilitators were excellent."

Teaching can be a very lonely profession and teachers appreciated the opportunity to meet their colleagues and teachers from other schools. "There were 50 teachers in our group - from two large schools," Carney notes. "Teachers in smaller schools were in groups with teachers from a number of schools. It was an eye-opener to meet people from other schools and to share ideas. In school most of our interaction is limited to the 10-minute coffee break," she says. The revised curriculum in-service is expected to take place over a five-year period.

Despite the widespread teacher enthusiasm for the new curriculum and its in-service, concerns are being raised about its implementation in smaller schools. "It's extremely challenging for teachers in multi-class situations," observes the INTO's Catherine Byrne. "Teachers in two- to four-teacher schools could find it daunting. They could be dealing with up to four different age groups and the curriculum is broken down in strands for each class."