NEWS

Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has welcomed the introduction of a new emergency messaging system for schools, following the Education Minister’s admission that “communication failures” took place during the handling of Storm Amy. The recent review into the events surrounding the storm found that critical updates were not delivered quickly enough to schools, leading to widespread confusion as closure decisions were issued. Mr Burrows said the review h

Principals Sandra Sheeran (Ballykeel Primary), Karen McMaster (Camphill Primary), and Neil McCullough (Harryville Primary), governors, counsellor and parent representatives, with Minister Gordon Lyons, DUP North Antrim MLA Paul Frew, and Indeoendent Ballymena Councillor Lawrie Philpott. The Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons , visited North Antrim on Wednesday following intervention from DUP MLA Paul Frew that helped secure continued funding for a counselling and therap

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston Speaking in the Assembly on Monday (November 24), TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston emphasised the importance of maintaining the Christian foundation of Religious Education (RE) in Northern Ireland’s schools, following a recent Supreme Court judgment. Describing the ruling as “the final stage in a calculated assault on the foundations of the controlled sector,” Mr Gaston highlighted the historical roots of the education system. “It is of

Ballymena Academy pupils Samantha Dunlop and Katie McNeilly who are through to the final stage of the ABP Angus Youth Challenge Ballymena Academy has secured a place in the final of the prestigious ABP Angus Youth Challenge, with two Year 11 pupils set to take on an innovative project aimed at advancing genetic literacy in beef production. The announcement was made today via YouTube , where pupils Samantha Dunlop and Katie McNeilly learned that their school had qualified for

Classroom Assistants at Castle Tower School, Hong Cassley, Gemma Moore and Vicky Balmer, with Maggie Anderson, team leader at SPAR Grove Road, Steven Henry, store manager at SPAR Grove Road and assistance dogs Percy and Nico. SPAR Grove Road has continued its commitment to supporting local education by donating 165 chocolate bars to Castle Tower School in Ballymena as part of its Classroom Assistant Appreciation Day celebrations. The gesture is the latest in an ongoing part

A Northern Ireland school will receive an extra-special festive surprise this December as local Full Fibre broadband provider Fibrus launches its new ‘Christmas Classroom’ competition. The initiative invites schools across Northern Ireland to nominate their Primary One, Primary Two, or P1/P2 composite classes for the chance to win a magical Christmas visit from Santa and the Fibrus Tinsel Team. The winning classroom will be treated to a sack filled with some of the most sough

TUV MP Jim Allister has sharply criticised a recent Supreme Court judgment on Religious Education (RE) in Northern Ireland, describing the ruling as a threat to the long-established Christian ethos within the region’s school system. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Allister said he was “deeply disturbed” by aspects of the judgment, particularly the court’s reference to the potential for “indoctrination” within current RE provision. “As someone who has consistently defended

The Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Cllr Jackson Minford joins with Women’s Aid CEO Gillian Creevy and St Colmcille’s Primary Vice Principal, Miss Catherine Stewart to launch Women’s Aid Heading For Healthy Relationships Primary School programme funded by the EVAWG Change Fund. A new preventative education initiative aimed at helping young people build healthy, respectful relationships has been launched at St Colmcille Primary School in Ballymena. The Heading For Healthy Relations

Pudsey and Asda Antrim's Ashley Ritchie visited local schools in aid of BBC Children in Need Colleagues at Asda Antrim have helped raise an impressive £2,100 for BBC Children in Need after teaming up with customers and local schools to support the annual charity appeal. The fundraising effort was led by the store’s Community Champion, Ashley Ritchie , who organised a series of activities including tombolas, raffles, in-store bucket collections and visits to nearby primary sch

The Department of Education has published new School Uniform Guidelines to help schools across Northern Ireland prepare for upcoming statutory requirements expected to take effect from the 2026/27 academic year. The move follows the passage of the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill, which cleared its Final Stage in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 13 October and will become law once it receives Royal Assent. Education Minister Paul Givan confirmed that the guid

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew on Galgorm Road, Ballymena, near Cambridge House Grammar School North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) that a pedestrian crossing near Cambridge House Grammar School on Ballymena’s Galgorm Road will be considered in future traffic management works. Mr Frew said the development follows years of concerns raised by local residents about safety on the busy road, particularly for schoolchildren

Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows has warned that families already struggling with the cost of living will be “hit hard” by the Education Authority’s decision to raise the price of school meals by around 20 per cent. The increase – equivalent to an extra 50p per meal – is due to take effect from January 2026, as part of a series of savings measures introduced by the Education Authority (EA) to tackle a £300 million funding shortfall. Mr Burrows, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Ed

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