NEWS

(L-R) BSc (Hons) Food Innovation Management students, Olivia Acheson, Cookstown, and Ellen Nelson, Tobermore, along with Mr. Fintan McCann, Head of Food Education invite you to attend CAFRE’s Open Week from Tuesday 06 October to Saturday 10 October 2026 at Loughry Campus, Cookstown, Greenmount Campus, Antrim and Enniskillen Campus Sunday 04 October 2026 Students considering their next move after school can explore courses, facilities and campus life at the College of Agricult

Sunday 04 October 2026 Mid and East Antrim Borough Council recorded 2,424 days lost to staff sickness in the final four months of 2025/26, although average absence fell below its target and improved on the previous year. Councillors were told that 155 employees were absent between 1 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, with mental health-related absence accounting for the largest number of days lost. The figures were presented to the council’s Corporate Resources, Policy and Gove

A fantastic effort by the Ballymena Academy teams. Saturday 03 October 2026 Ballymena Academy made a perfect start to their Netball Northern Ireland League campaign, with all four teams securing victories away to Belfast Royal Academy on Friday. Four wins on opening day The Minor 1 and Minor 2 sides delivered particularly commanding performances, recording 22–1 and 28–1 victories respectively. Minor 3 also began their campaign on a winning note with a 4–1 result, before Junio

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has congratulated our further education colleges and students after they delivered a world-class performance on the global stage, bringing home a gold medal, bronze medal and five medals for excellence from WorldSkills in Shanghai. The Minister met some of the competitors and college representatives at Parliament Buildings before they headed to Shanghai for the ‘Skills Olympics’. Friday 02 October 2026 Ballymena’s Joe Wilton has been reco

Northern Regional College student Samuel Cairns Thursday 01 October 2026 A Northern Regional College student studying in Ballymena has helped create a short film selected among the top two UK entries in an Into Film programme — an achievement that took him to London to hear from some of the biggest names in entertainment. Samuel Cairns participated in a question-and-answer panel with representatives from Universal, Disney and Netflix, and was later invited back for an exclusi

Tuesday 29 September 2026 Primary 6 and 7 pupils could receive additional literacy and numeracy support, alongside help preparing for the move to post-primary education, under a new programme backed by up to £600,000. The initiative is being delivered through the Department of Education’s existing RAISE programme, which already operates in Ballymena and 17 other localities across Northern Ireland. Schools can apply for funding to provide targeted support during the 2026/27 ac

Galgorm Collection will become the first hospitality employer in Northern Ireland to provide its employees with access to subsidised childcare. Pictured from left: Katherine Baillie and her daughter Lily; Bronagh Creery, Senior Director, Sleepy Hollow Group; Nikolai Koplewsky, Director of Sleepy Hollow Group; and Laura Millar, People and Development Associate Director at Galgorm Collection. Monday 28 September 2026 Galgorm Collection is introducing subsidised childcare for it

Past participants Leah Baxter-Leslie, Nicki McNeill and Anjali Jose pictured with Naomi Hutchinson, NFSU Business Support Manager, Brigid McNabb, key trainer with Academy, and Dr Windsor Murdock, non-executive member NFSU. Thursday 24 September 2026 A programme designed to help local people into work while tackling recruitment needs in GP surgeries has recorded a 53% employment outcome after expanding from a Mid and East Antrim pilot to four academies in just 18 months. From

Horticulture students Charley Benson (Lisburn), Ramona McCluskey (Ballymena) and Barry Wheeler (Antrim) encourage prospective students to explore Greenmount Campus facilities at the upcoming Open Day Wednesday 23 September 2026 Greenmount Campus in Antrim is opening its doors next month to prospective students interested in careers ranging from landscaping and plant production to sports turf management and floristry. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFR

Teachers across Northern Ireland are set to begin action short of strike from Monday, September 28, with restrictions potentially affecting extra-curricular activities, meetings, cover arrangements and communications outside teachers’ allocated working time. The escalation comes after months of negotiations over teacher and school leader workload, with unions arguing that stronger guarantees are needed to turn recommendations from an independent workload review into meaningfu

Carly Heggarty, Equality and Wellbeing Manager at Northern Regional College and Shannon Murphy Education Support Co-Ordinator pictured with the Autism NI Award Monday 21 September 2026 Northern Regional College has achieved Autism NI’s Impact Award for Education after introducing practical measures designed to make college life more accessible and supportive for autistic and neurodivergent students. The recognition follows tailored Autism NI training for staff and the develop

Sunday 20 September 2026 Ulster University has achieved its highest-ever position in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, climbing 15 places to rank 34th in the UK. The university has also been named University of the Year, Northern Ireland, 2027, adding to a series of national rankings and awards for its teaching, research and student experience. Ulster University has more than 30,000 students, according to 2023/24 HESA figures cited by the university, with

(L-R) Caroline McKenna, Foodies Spokesperson, Eimear O'Sullivan, Corporate Affairs Director Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland Primary schools across County Antrim can now register for a new free food education programme aimed at helping young children build healthy eating habits and become more confident about fruit and vegetables. Lidl Foodies is open to schools across Northern Ireland and provides teachers of children aged four to seven with ready-made lesson plans, activit

Team Harryville Primary School ahead of their Dragon Boat Race challenge this weekend. Staff from Harryville Primary School in Ballymena have raised more than £2,500 so far for Northern Ireland Hospice — with donations still coming in ahead of their Dragon Boat challenge on the River Lagan this weekend. The school team will take to the water in Belfast on Saturday, September 19, as part of the charity’s Dragon Boat Race, joining teams from businesses, clubs and organisations

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal attended the School of Nursing & Midwifery at Queen's University Belfast on Wednesday where she met with midwifery students, lecturers and midwives. Student midwives preparing to care for women and babies across Northern Ireland have shown The Princess Royal how simulated practice helps them build clinical skills and confidence before facing the demands of maternity care. Princess Anne met students, lecturers and midwives at Queen’s Unive

Tuesday 15 September 2026 Teachers, parents and pupils across Northern Ireland are being asked to share their experiences of behaviour, disruption and safety in schools as part of a review that will shape new government policy. Education Minister Paul Givan has launched a Call for Evidence seeking views on the scale of behaviour problems, their impact on learning and staff wellbeing, and what schools need to improve standards. The exercise forms part of the Department of Educ

Inset: North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew Home care workers across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust are set to have average overtime earnings included when their holiday pay is calculated, with retrospective payments also expected to be made before the end of the year. North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed the commitment after raising concerns with the Northern Trust on behalf of constituents who said they were losing out because of the way their holiday pay was calcul

SDLP MLA for East Londonderry, Cara Hunter Girls will be guaranteed the choice to wear trousers at every school in Northern Ireland from the 2027/28 school year, as Education Minister Paul Givan faces fresh criticism over why the change was not made sooner. SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA has joined Ulster Unionist Party leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA in welcoming the outcome while challenging the Minister over the months of political

Land-based Engineering students Emily Scott (Garvagh) and Oliver John (Ballycastle) invite you to attend Greenmount Campus Open Day. Young people considering a future in agriculture, agri-food or land-based engineering will have the chance to explore courses, career opportunities and campus life at a special Open Day at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus next month. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will welcome prospective students to its Antrim campus on

Students heading into Freshers’ Week are being urged to look out for each other and know when to call for emergency help as universities welcome a new intake across Northern Ireland. Alcohol and drug charity ASCERT says the start of university life can bring new friendships, nights out and social events, but for some young people it may also be the first time they have consumed alcohol or faced pressure to drink more — or more quickly — than they normally would. The charity i