Barbie added to Leaving Cert syllabus for 2026 exam

Leaving Cert students will study the award-winning film for their upcoming exams

Barbie was one of the biggest films to come out of 2023 and it’s continuing to have a major impact on our lives. Not only has Greta Gerwig’s film impressed film critics and cinema-goers, but it has also made it onto the Leaving Cert curriculum. Students sitting their Leaving Cert in 2026 will have the joy of studying the record-breaking movie.

Thousands of pupils to study Barbie as part of Leaving Cert.

According to The Sun, the Department of Education has officially added the movie to the English curriculum. The National Council for ­Curriculum and Assessment hopes the move will encourage pupils to focus on the character’s relationships, as well as the social context. Barbie isn’t the only award-winning movie that has been added to the English curriculum. According to reports, students can also look forward to studying The Banshees of Inisherin for their Leaving Cert. The film starring Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Kerry Condon, and Brendan Gleeson has also been approved for the 2026 exams. Students who are entering their fifth year this September can look forward to studying both Oscar-worthy flicks for their Leaving Cert in 2026. Adding such popular titles to the English curriculum is a game-changer for pupils and will undoubtedly make classes a little bit more enjoyable. What are the odds of my old school letting me go back solely for English classes? Read more:

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