NEWS

Pictured (L-R) Matthew Best, Greenisland Primary School, Christine Counsell OBE, Chair of the Curriculum Taskforce, Mark Roberts, Carrickfergus Grammar School, Education Minister, Paul Givan, Noeleen Tiffney, St Catherine's College, Karen Irwin, Ballyclare Primary School and Alistair Hamill, Lurgan College. Education Minister Paul Givan has launched what he described as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reshape education in Northern Ireland, unveiling plans for a comple

Education Minister Paul Givan The Education Minister has launched a major new phase of Northern Ireland’s curriculum reform programme, announcing plans to create bespoke curriculum frameworks for Special Schools and Irish-medium education after a review found the current curriculum is not adequately meeting the needs of many pupils. The move marks a significant shift in how education is delivered to thousands of children and young people, with dedicated working groups set to

Pupils due to sit public exams across Northern Ireland this afternoon have been urged to travel to their examination centres as early as possible amid growing concerns over potential disruption linked to recent protests and street disorder. The warning comes as education officials monitor the fallout from ongoing unrest and unverified social media claims about further planned demonstrations later today, raising fears that some students and school communities could face travel

(L-R) Edwina Weiniger, Stepping Stones Chairperson, Elaine Loughran, Principal Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Education Minister, Paul Givan, Alan Herron, Playboard NI CEO and Susan Williams, SEN Inclusive Play Project Coordinator, Playboard NI with pupils. An ambitious new programme designed to reshape how children with special educational needs experience learning through play has officially launched in Northern Ireland, with dozens of schools set to benefit over the

3D Aerial views of proposed new campus for Cullybackey College, outside Ballymena Cullybackey could be set for one of its biggest education and infrastructure transformations in decades under ambitious plans for a brand-new 700-pupil college campus, major new sports facilities and sweeping road upgrades aimed at tackling long-standing traffic problems around the village. The multi-million-pound proposals for Cullybackey College have now officially entered public consultation,

Almost 2,500 teachers and classroom assistants across Northern Ireland were injured or assaulted by pupils in the space of a single year, according to figures released by the Education Authority. The scale of the violence was laid bare after Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows raised the issue in the Assembly, warning that attacks on school staff have become a “taboo issue” that too many people are unwilling to confront. Newly released figures show 598 teachers and 1,974

Education Minister Paul Givan is pictured with Principal Malachy Conlon, Vice Principal Lauren McLoughlin and the youngest pupils at St Mary’s Queen of Peace Primary School Construction has officially begun on the long-awaited new building for Mary Queen of Peace Primary School in Glenravel, marking a major milestone for a community that has spent more than a decade waiting for the project to become reality. The £10million investment will deliver a modern nine-classroom schoo

Education Minister pictured at the TransformED One Year On School Leaders’ Conference in Ballymena with (l to r), Garry Matthewson, Daniel T. Willingham, Hardip Begol CBE, Christine Counsell OBE, Carl Hendrick, Noeleen Tiffney, Alistair Hamill and Dr Harold Hislop. Education Minister Paul Givan has declared Northern Ireland’s sweeping TransformED education reform programme is now entering its “most critical phase” as more than 1,500 school leaders, teachers and international

The Children’s Law Centre CEO John O'Doherty, alongside Rachel Hogan BL, SEND Specialist Legal Adviser and Kathryn Stevenson, Head of Legal, pictured at Parliament Buildings after presenting to the education committee on the proposed SEN Regs. The Children’s Law Centre has warned Stormont’s Education Committee that proposed new SEND regulations could weaken legal protections for vulnerable children, reduce the role of parents in decision-making and leave parts of the new fram

Autism diagnoses among school-age children in Northern Ireland have reached their highest recorded level, with new figures revealing 18,472 pupils are now identified as autistic — while politicians and families warn support systems are becoming overwhelmed. The latest annual prevalence report published by the Department of Health shows autism prevalence among school-age children rose to 6.2% during the 2025/26 school year. That represents an increase of 0.3 percentage points

More than 650 schools and pre-school settings across Northern Ireland are now involved in Shared Education partnerships — yet the number of children actually taking part has fallen by more than 9,000, according to a major new report laid before the Assembly. The fifth statutory report on Advancing Shared Education, published today (Monday 11 May) by Education Minister Paul Givan, reveals a striking contradiction at the heart of Northern Ireland’s shared learning strategy: par

Action for Children staff Rosie Moore, Lorna Ballard and Franci Simpson with Jon Burrows MLA A North Antrim MLA has praised the “real difference” being made by a local early years service after seeing its impact first-hand during a visit to Ballymena. Jon Burrows visited Ballymena and Little Steps Antrim Sure Start on Doury Road on Friday, 1 May, where he met staff, parents and young children benefiting from the programme. The service, which operates across three sites in the

CGI of new buildings for Dunclug College, Ballymena A major new school building for Dunclug College has taken a decisive step forward, with confirmation today, Wednesday 29 April, it will now progress to construction as part of a multi-million-pound investment programme—delivering long-awaited transformation for pupils, staff and the wider Ballymena community. Education Minister Paul Givan has announced that Dunclug College is among four major works projects across Northern I

Autistic people and families across Northern Ireland are still not seeing consistent, reliable support in their daily lives despite more than a decade of legislation and successive government strategies, a landmark independent report has found — warning that a persistent gap between policy and reality continues to drive delay, fragmentation and distress for autistic people and their families. The first Annual Report from the Independent Autism Reviewer, covering the period fr

SDLP MLA for East Londonderry Cara Hunter Growing cross-sector backlash as Children’s Law Centre and 14 organisations raise concerns over impact on vulnerable pupils, schools and families Mounting opposition to proposed special educational needs (SEN) reforms has intensified, with SDLP MLA Cara Hunter calling on the Education Minister to immediately halt the plans amid warnings they could place already overstretched schools under further strain and negatively impact vulnerabl

Pictured: Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan Serious weaknesses in school assessment data and a decade of disrupted inspections have left major blind spots in understanding the quality of education being delivered across Northern Ireland, according to a significant new watchdog report. The findings, published today by the Northern Ireland Audit Office, place fresh pressure on the Department of Education and reinforce calls for urgent reform across the school syste

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston The political fallout over Northern Ireland’s special educational needs summer schemes deepened today after TUV MLA Timothy Gaston launched a blistering attack in the Assembly, accusing ministers and officials of failing some of the most vulnerable children in society. In a strongly worded address, the North Antrim MLA said the decision to cancel the schemes — before a subsequent reversal — was “not simply an administrative mis-step” but

Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA Summer schemes for children with special educational needs will now go ahead — a dramatic turnaround following days of uncertainty that left families fearing vital support had been lost. The confirmation, welcomed by Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA , follows intense political pressure and urgent engagement between the Departments of Education and Health. For familie

Northern Ireland’s Education Minister Paul Givan, and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Families of children with special educational needs have been handed renewed hope after Stormont ministers stepped in over the controversial cancellation of summer schemes. Education Minister Paul Givan has called for urgent engagement to restore provision, while Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has now voiced “extreme concern” — ordering officials to explore how schemes could still go ahead. The

Ulster Unionist Party Leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA Fresh pressure is mounting on the Education Authority after the Ulster Unionist Party warned the cancellation of special school summer schemes raises “serious questions” — including whether the decision was justified at all. Ulster Unionist Party Leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has criticised the move by the Education Authority (EA), describing it as “deeply alarming” for children a