This paper reports on research from Ireland with second level teachers during school closures (2020) and after schools reopened (2021). In October 2020 (n=247) and in February 2021 (n=254) teachers responded to an online survey on their experience of teaching during a pandemic. This paper focuses on the conditions for curriculum making at these two key points during the pandemic. Schools were asked to “continue to plan lessons and, where possible, provide online resources for students or online lessons” and schools were asked to prioritise supporting exam classes (DES, 2020). Distance learning was new to Irish schools and the required high level of self-directed learning on the part of the learner, and study skills (UNESCO, 2020) were absent for many and this led to increased inequality (Mohan et al, 2020). In the Republic of Ireland, teaching, learning, and assessment moved online from March to June 2020. Face-to-face teaching was reinstated between September 2020 and December 2020, and then the schools closed their door to students once again from January 2021 until April 2021. The school closures in Ireland were one of the longest in Europe, amounting to up to 163 days for some students (UNESCO, 2021). The existing digital divide in Ireland, coupled with the lack of resources, professional development, and hardware in schools, as well as homes, highlighted the educational inequalities and made the situation even more demanding for teachers (Gouedard et al., 2020; Mohan et al, 2020). However, it also saw increased collaboration, use of technology and engagement with professional development (Dempsey and Burke, 2021). Data provided evidence of curriculum making as a social practice and occurring across multiple sites and spaces (Priestley et al, 2021). The meso site for curriculum making took on increased focus with a proliferation of supports coming from across the globe (see for example OECD, 2021) and locally (see for example PDST, nd) providing spaces for collaboration across sites. This led to information overload for some and the need for others to become knowledge brokers (Jusinski , 2021) in curriculum making. For some the experience was positive with three out of ten reporting that they were more confident in their face-to-face teaching and integrating technology after facilitating distance education. For others, it impacted on their wellbeing with negative media coverage in the macro space cited as a contributing factor as was opening up of the curriculum making space to parental scrutiny.

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