The main aim of this paper is to review and analyse the process and outcomes of more than ten years of curriculum debate, development and implementation in Northern Ireland. The author draws upon a wide range of published evidence and recent case studies in schools to address three major questions about the efficacy or otherwise of the revised Northern Ireland Curriculum (NIC) and its associated assessment arrangements. • To what extent is the revised Northern Ireland Curriculum (NIC) evidence-based? • Is the Northern Ireland curriculum framework ‘fit for purpose’ – in terms of providing a clear curriculum rationale - by comparison with curriculum models elsewhere (and in what ways has the Northern Ireland framework influenced other UK regions)? and • To what extent is assessment the weakest link in curriculum reform? In addressing these questions the paper will explore the published evidence associated with the various phases of review as well as the rationale and structure of the revised NIC, by comparison with its counterparts in the UK. The paper concludes with insights arising from a case study of implementation in one large NI school that highlights the need to align assessment arrangements with curriculum intentions. 195 words