NEWS

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

CGI showing an impression of the new building Planning permission has been granted for the proposed partial redevelopment of St Louis Grammar School on Cullybackey Road, Ballymena. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved proposals including a new school meals block, improved outdoor areas and a reconfiguration of the front of the site aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing congestion on Cullybackey Road. New school meals block and play area The

Girls across Northern Ireland will be guaranteed the choice to wear trousers as part of their school uniform under revised legally binding guidelines issued by Education Minister Paul Givan. Ulster Unionist Party leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has welcomed the move as a “common-sense outcome”, while claiming the Minister could have resolved the issue earlier without the Education Committee having to pursue legislation. The revised Department of Education gu

DfI contractors on site refreshing the road markings outside Ballymena Primary School on the busy Ballymoney Road North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed action to improve road safety outside Ballymena Primary School after he raised concerns with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on behalf of the school. Fresh yellow zig-zag markings have now been installed after the school’s principal highlighted faded road markings and malfunctioning flashing school safety signs. Whil

Inset: DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Questions over the sourcing and labelling of chicken served in Northern Ireland schools remain despite fresh assurances from the Education Authority that halal-certified poultry is not being provided as a blanket policy, an MP has said. Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart is calling for greater transparency for parents and increased use of locally produced food in publicly funded catering, as she prepares to meet Education Authority (EA) o

Students arriving in Belfast for the new academic year will see a visible police presence around accommodation areas as a safety campaign gets under way, with advice on accessing help during nights out and protecting themselves and their belongings. The PSNI is also highlighting the Ask for Angela initiative, which offers a discreet way to seek help at more than 400 participating bars and clubs across Northern Ireland if someone feels vulnerable. Launched today, Wednesday 9 S

Four primary schools—including two in the wider Love Ballymena coverage area—have vowed to continue building inclusive school communities after Education Minister Paul Givan rejected their applications for integrated status. Larne and Inver Primary School and Killowen Primary School in Coleraine were refused alongside Ballyhenry Primary School in Glengormley and Downshire Primary School in Hillsborough. The four ministerial decisions were dated Sunday 30 August, immediately b

(L-R): Rhys McClenaghan; Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland; Kerry O’Flaherty Secondary schools across County Antrim are being invited to apply for a programme using sport and athlete mentoring to help pupils manage pressure, build resilience and support their mental wellbeing. Schools selected for Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good programme will receive a series of workshops led by experienced athlete mentors, along with £1,000 worth o

Families applying for funded pre-school places in Northern Ireland face a significant change to admissions rules next year, as Education Minister Paul Givan moves to restrict which households receive priority under the current social disadvantage criterion. The Minister has confirmed that only families receiving benefits specifically named in the existing regulations will qualify for priority when applying for a pre-school place next year. The move will end the practice of tr

The Education Authority has agreed to accept a number of school taxi bids it considers excessively expensive to ensure children can continue getting to and from school — but has warned some families could ultimately be offered payments to make alternative transport arrangements themselves. The decision follows a major tendering exercise involving more than 1,200 school taxi runs ahead of the new academic year. The EA says early analysis shows tendered mileage rates have falle

Inset: Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA New support for newly qualified teachers must come with protected time and proper resources rather than adding to already heavy workloads, Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has warned. His comments follow the launch of an enhanced induction programme for teachers beginning their careers in Northern Ireland, including a new online learning platform alongside face-to-face training and live webinars. While welcoming

Pictured launching the second year of the initiative at Northern Regional College, Ballymena, from left: Jane Hanna, North East Area Manager of Young Enterprise NI; Joanne McCourt, Northern Regional College; Christine Barnhill, Mid & East Antrim Borough Council; Alderman Thomas Gordon of Mid and East Antrim; Christine Brown, Northern Regional College; Carol Fitzsimons MBE, Chief Executive of Young Enterprise NI. A programme designed to give young people the confidence and pra

An £8,500 donation is helping Clough Primary School and Nursery Unit create a dedicated sensory room where children can find a calm, supportive space during the school day. The new facility at the Ballymena school will support pupils who benefit from additional emotional and sensory support, helping them to regulate their emotions, reduce anxiety and return to the classroom more settled and ready to learn. The funding has come from the St. James’s Place (SJP) Charitable Found

Helping announce the new call for entries from Co. Antrim pupils in Yr. 11 are the finalists representing Ballymena Academy in this year’s ABP Angus Youth Challenge. This year’s winners will be announced on 22nd October at an awards ceremony in the Eikon Centre, Balmoral Park. Year 11 pupils across County Antrim are being invited to put their farming knowledge, ideas and teamwork to the test for the chance to rear their own mini-herd of Angus-cross calves. Entries have opened

Inset: UUP Party Leader Jon Burrows Teachers are sacrificing evenings, weekends and family time to keep schools functioning, Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows has warned, as Education Minister Paul Givan expressed hope that negotiations could avert industrial action over workload. Mr Burrows called for a fundamental rethink of teachers’ working days following teaching union votes in favour of industrial action, suggesting that reform could require reopening the Jordanstown A

Schools across Northern Ireland face the prospect of industrial action over teacher workload, with Education Minister Paul Givan saying progress in summer negotiations could still prevent disruption. Responding to teaching union ballot results, the minister said agreement had been reached on a range of disputed issues and pledged to continue talks with unions and employers. But unions say teachers need changes they can see in schools and classrooms, warning that unresolved wo

Northern Education Minister Paul Givan Northern Ireland’s integrated education bodies have challenged Education Minister Paul Givan to explain how he will meet parental demand after expressing “enormous disappointment” at decisions to refuse integrated status to several schools. The Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) and the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) said school communities were facing “a negative and devastating decision” at the start of the academic year, despit

Pupils’ community backgrounds would be recorded separately from their religion under proposals aimed at changing how schools seeking integrated status demonstrate they can bring Protestant and Catholic children together. Education Minister Paul Givan has set out plans for a new monitoring question as he urged schools to build integration before applying for formal recognition—and accused integrated education campaigners of having “lost their way”. For families and schools, th