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

Mrs Valerie Alexander, Dunclug College What began as a journey from Ballymena to some of the poorest communities in India has grown into a life-changing mission that has transformed opportunities for countless young people — and earned one local teacher national recognition in The King’s Birthday Honours. Mrs Valerie Alexander, a driving force behind Dunclug College’s long-standing partnership with the ASHA Society in New Delhi, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM)

County Antrim man David Radcliffe, awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026 County Antrim man David Radcliffe has spent decades shaping young lives in classrooms across Northern Ireland, overcome cancer not once but twice, returned to work after losing a leg, inspired countless pupils through his determination, and even captured the hearts of television viewers on a national game show. Now, his extraordinary contribution has been recognised with an MBE in the King’s

CAFRE’s online and short courses offers the best of both worlds to develop your knowledge and skills For people working in the equine industry, balancing education with employment, family commitments and the demands of horse care can be a significant challenge. CAFRE is aiming to bridge that gap with a range of flexible online and blended-learning equine courses designed to fit around busy lives. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is encouraging pro

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

Ballymena Future leaders take flight with Belfast City Airport’s IGNITE Youth Leadership Programme (pictured with Kieran Devlin, Operations and Facilities Director of Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports Association, Jenna Louise Dowds, and Michelle Hatfield Chief People and Marketing Officer at Belfast City Airport) A student from Ballymena is among 31 young people to graduate from a leadership programme designed to help teenagers build confidence, develop life skills and p

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

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has announced further measures to support students. The additional support has been welcomed by NUS-USI President (pictured) Ben Friel. Thousands of students across Northern Ireland are set to receive increased financial support next year as the Executive moves to ease mounting cost-of-living pressures facing those in higher education. Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has announced a package of measures for the 2026/27 academic year

(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

Pupils from Armoy Primary School Children at Armoy Primary School have been learning a startling lesson about one of the world’s most essential resources after discovering that just 1% of the planet’s water is drinkable. The eye-opening fact formed part of a visit by NI Water’s education team, which delivered a series of interactive sessions focused on water conservation and the importance of using water responsibly. Pupils took part in games, practical demonstrations and act

Maeve Owens while studying at MSU took the opportunity to travel to Chicago A student from Magherafelt has described her four-month study experience in the United States as “the best thing I’ve ever done” after returning home from a life-changing exchange programme at one of America’s biggest universities. Maeve Owens, who studies BSc (Hons) Food Business Management at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), recently completed a semester abroad at Michi

CAFRE staff, Lori Hartman and James Crawford, welcome visitors to Greenmount Campus, Antrim, for Open Farm Weekend. Enjoy exploring the campus and browse a wide selection of plants available to purchase throughout the event. Families, food lovers, aspiring students and farming enthusiasts are set to get rare behind-the-scenes access to one of Northern Ireland’s leading agricultural campuses later this month as CAFRE Greenmount opens its gates for Bank of Ireland Open Farm Wee

Caroline Martin, Dale Farm pictured with Sixth Form pupils from Cullybackey College One of Northern Ireland’s best-known food producers has been strengthening its connection with young people in Ballymena through a year-long partnership designed to give pupils real insight into careers beyond the classroom. Through the ‘Adopt a School’ initiative run alongside Dale Farm and Business in the Community Northern Ireland, students at Cullybackey College have been given hands-on ex

Kilrea Primary School Kilrea Primary School is set for significant changes under newly-submitted plans that would bring a temporary specialist teaching unit to the site alongside major safety upgrades aimed at tackling what planners describe as “significant safeguarding concerns”. The proposals, lodged with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, centre on growing educational needs at the school as well as long-standing worries over pupil safety linked to access arrangement

Students Niamh Reid (Glenarm), Jessica Cuthbertson (Sixmilecross), Caleb Orr (Ballymena), TJ Hamilton (Armagh), Jane May (Portadown) and Grace Hunter (Dungannon) represented CAFRE at the Great Agri-Food Debate. Students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) have reached the semi-finals of a major all-island agri-food debating competition after impressing judges with arguments on some of the biggest challenges facing farming and food production. Th

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,

Colman Byrne, Laura Murray and Michael Graham invite you to Discover CAFRE during Open Farm Weekend at Greenmount Campus, Antrim and Enniskillen Campus. Families across Northern Ireland are being invited to step behind the scenes of rural life next month as CAFRE opens two of its major campuses to the public for a free weekend packed with hands-on activities, food experiences and live farming demonstrations. From sheep shearing and tractor simulators in Antrim to equestrian d

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

Police have launched a malicious communications investigation after threatening emails sent to schools and businesses across County Antrim caused widespread disruption and alarm on Tuesday. The PSNI confirmed six schools were affected in areas including Randalstown, Ballycraigy and Antrim town, while multiple businesses also received the email — the majority in Antrim, with one business impacted in the Ballycastle area. Detectives are now examining whether the incident is lin

Police investigating threatening emails sent to schools and businesses across County Antrim say the messages are “not believed to be a credible threat at this time” following enquiries carried out throughout Tuesday. The update from the PSNI came after widespread concern earlier in the day when reports emerged that multiple schools and businesses had received emails referencing knife and bomb threats. Officers confirmed reassurance patrols were carried out across affected are