EA launches Back to School support hub for families across Northern Ireland

The Education Authority (EA) has outlined a wide range of support and advice for families as thousands of children and young people prepare to return to school this September.

Parents and carers are being encouraged to visit the EA’s dedicated Back to School hub, available at www.eani.org.uk/backtoschool, which provides guidance on areas including special educational needs, school transport, free school meals, uniform grants, and admissions.

Richard Pengelly, Chief Executive of the Education Authority, said the start of the academic year was both an exciting and anxious time for many families.

“We know that planning for a new school year can often put parents and carers under pressure and we want to remind them that the Education Authority is here to help.

“We have a number of dedicated helplines in place and there is a range of information on our website to help address any queries parents and carers may have.”

Mr Pengelly also highlighted the significant preparations made for the 2025/26 school year, particularly for pupils with additional needs.

“There has been significant work undertaken across the system to welcome our children and young people back to school, including creating additional places for children with special educational needs, and this very important work will continue over the coming days and weeks.

“I wish both our children and staff all the very best for the new academic year ahead, and I look forward to engaging directly with them in the new school year to continue to learn lessons from their experience.”

Key preparations for September 2025 include:

• 6,000 additional SEN places created between 2020 and 2025, the largest expansion in recent history.

• 157 new classes across 123 schools this year alone, including 29 in Special Schools and 128 specialist provision classes in mainstream schools, providing 1,374 new places.

• School transport for 90,000 pupils to schools and further education colleges every day.

• Free school meals and uniform grants for around 95,000 young people.

• Ongoing development and maintenance of facilities across more than 1,000 schools.

The Education Authority, which employs around 44,000 staff across Northern Ireland, including teachers, classroom assistants, cleaners, catering staff, bus drivers, youth workers and social workers, says it remains committed to supporting families and schools as the new term begins.

For more information, support, and advice, visit www.eani.org.uk/backtoschool.