NEWS

Parents across Northern Ireland are bracing for higher school meal prices and potential changes to transport and music provision after the Education Authority (EA) confirmed a series of cost-saving measures to address a £300 million funding shortfall. The EA said the “regrettable” measures, which aim to deliver up to £30 million in savings, will begin to take effect this month. However, the organisation warned that even with these cuts, it will be “some distance” from breaki

All photos: Cindy Robinson Photography In a heartfelt ceremony underscoring themes of hope, reconciliation, and academic triumph, Slemish College held its annual awards presentation on Friday, 24 October 2025, honouring the achievements of its pupils while advocating for the expansion of integrated education across the region. The event, hosted at the integrated post-primary school in Ballymena, brought together pupils, staff, parents, and distinguished guests to recognise ou

Children from Braidside Primary School, Ballymena, were joined by Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, as they enjoyed a Forest School session recently. Primary school pupils from across the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area are embracing nature as part of this year’s Forest Schools Programme, funded by Council and delivered by the Northern Ireland Forest School Association (NIFSA). With support from the Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team, the in

McDonnell Shields for Head Boy and Head Girl presented to students Ruairi Hendron and Aleena Shiji St Patrick’s College, Ballymena has celebrated the achievements of its pupils during the 2024–25 academic year at its annual prizegiving ceremony, which featured an inspiring address by past pupil and businesswoman Mrs Johanna Montgomery . Mrs Montgomery, who trained as a kitchen designer before expanding into wider areas of home design, shared insights from her career journey a

Education Minister Paul Givan pictured with representatives from Ofek School, Jerusalem and the Israeli Ministry of Education. Education Minister Paul Givan has visited Ofek School in the Jerusalem District to learn more about Israel’s forward-thinking approaches to gifted education and inclusive learning. Mr Givan was welcomed by Principal Racheli Yitzhak , along with representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Education, teachers, and students. The Ofek School supports mo

IGNITE participant, Jenna Louise Dowds from Slemish College, pictured with Paula Bittles, Business Support Executive at Belfast City Airport and Gerry Kelly, CEO of NICSSA Belfast City Airport has launched the sixth year of its acclaimed IGNITE youth leadership programme, reaffirming its dedication to inspiring and empowering young people from across Greater Belfast and Northern Ireland. Originally designed to support 100 students, the IGNITE initiative has now successfully e

(L-R): Martina Reynolds, EA EdIS Project Lead; Richard Pengelly, EA Chief Executive; Frances Meehan EdIS Programme Director; Eve Bremner, EA Chief Education Officer; Seamus Bradley, EA Assistant Director; Mervyn Storey, EA Chairperson; Jane Murphy, Principal of Killicomaine Junior High School; Barney Jenkins, Managing Director Softlink; pictured with pupils of Killicomaine Junior High School, Portadown. A new and innovative school library system led by the Education Authority

Jon Burrows MLA and Neil McCullough Principal of Harryville Primary School More than 20 children were initially reported missing from a primary school in Ballymena, prompting an urgent effort by education officials to trace their whereabouts. The Education Authority (EA) distributed a list of more than 50 missing pupils from various schools to principals across Northern Ireland earlier this term, seeking help to identify children who had stopped attending school without expla

Pupils of Ballykeel Primary School enjoying time in the Mayoral Parlour at The Braid, with Mayor of Mid & East Antrim, UUP Councillor Jackson Minford Pupils from Ballykeel Primary School enjoyed a lively morning at The Braid in Ballymena as they put local elected representatives on the spot with a series of challenging questions about life in local government. The Year 6 (P6) class met with Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford, and Independ

A damning new report by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has revealed what it describes as a “worrying picture of systemic failure” in the management of the region’s school estate — with the cost of outstanding repairs and maintenance potentially reaching £800 million. The report, Managing the Schools’ Estate , follows an inquiry launched by PAC in May 2025 , which heard evidence from officials at the Department of Education, the Education Autho

Education Minister Paul Givan has welcomed the Northern Ireland Assembly’s support for the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill, which aims to reduce the financial burden of school uniforms for families. The Bill, introduced by Minister Givan in February 2025, has now passed its Final Stage and will come into effect for the 2026/2027 academic year. It marks a major policy shift in how schools across Northern Ireland manage uniform requirements, with new statutory

Emily, aged 11, from Ahoghill, was one of eight young artists selected from over 1,000 entries across Northern Ireland for Translink’s Climate Action ‘Brand A Bus’ competition. A young artist from Ahoghill has seen her creative vision come to life in spectacular fashion — on the side of a Translink double-decker bus. 11-year-old Emily is one of eight talented young artists from across Northern Ireland whose artwork was selected from more than 1,000 entries in Translink’s inau

Tesco has announced the expansion of its Fruit & Veg for Schools programme, ensuring thousands more pupils across the UK – including in...

On World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2025, the Health and Education Ministers of Northern Ireland launched an innovative digital...

Derry Girls and Bridgerton actor Jamie Beamish delivers a workshop to performing arts students at St Patrick's College in Ballymena....

Trevor Robinson, aged 80, doing what he loves - greeting pupils of Camphill Primary School, ensuring they arrive safe and with a smile! A...

Pictured at the opening of Northern Regional College's £55million Ballymena Campus are (L-R) NRC Ballymena Campus Chief Executive and...

The proposed new extension at Ballyclare Primary School A planning application has been submitted to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough...

Ulster Unionist Party Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has urged the Minister of Education to launch an urgent review into how...

An emergency early closure of schools has been ordered across parts of Northern Ireland today (Friday 3 October) as Storm Amy brings the...