Thousands of schoolchildren are being encouraged to tell their own stories thanks to a new, colourful booklet that has been distributed free to schools across Northern Ireland. Staff from Education Charity Into Film have invented Story Builder, an exciting and interactive teaching resource that uses the building blocks of filmmakingRead More →
Ensuring working parents have access to statutory Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay is the right thing to do, said Economy Minister Paul Frew. The Minister was speaking as the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Bill reached its second stage in the Assembly on 14 June. Mr Frew said: “Working parentsRead More →
Education Minister, Peter Weir, has today announced details of a significant programme of projects to mark the centenary of the establishment of Northern Ireland in 1921. The NI100 Education Programme will deliver a series of projects aimed at different age groups and aspects of the curriculum throughout the 2021/22 academicRead More →
Schools across Northern Ireland have written to parents after receiving a warning letter from The Department of Education about products containing cannabis oil being disguised as sweets. The Public Health Agency alert confirmed that a young child assessed in hospital had “inadvertently consumed cannabis after finding what they believed toRead More →
PlayBoard NI, Stranmillis University College and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council recently embarked on a collaborative research project to examine the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the quality of play within early years classrooms, as well as the impact on children’s engagement, social interaction and emotional well-being. The researchRead More →
Health Minister Robin Swann and Education Minister Peter Weir have announced that the programme of regular testing for Covid-19 in post-primary schools is to be expanded to include all pupils. Since March, regular testing using Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests has been made available to older students in years 12Read More →
This year’s ‘Belfast in Bloom’ competition is now underway with a reminder call out to local schools to get their entries in before Friday 18 June. Organised by Belfast City Council, the popular competition celebrates the fine work of budding gardeners across the city and is open to local residents,Read More →
In a re-shuffle of the DUP ministerial line-up at Stormont, Michelle McIlveen has been chosen as the new education minister replacing Peter Weir who took up the role in 2020 (and previously from 2016 to 2017). A former student at Belfast’s Methodist College, Ms McIlveen holds a masters in Irish politics andRead More →
In one of the first initiatives of its kind in the UK and Ireland, the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast is championing ‘Mothers in Music’, a 12-week song writing, recording and performance programme designed for female musicians with caring responsibilities. Addressing the needs of one of the most underrepresentedRead More →
Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed the MHRA approval for Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to be used in 12 to 15-year-olds. The decision to approve Pfizer/BioNTech to the younger age groups is a regulatory decision only and no decisions have been made on whether children under the age of 18 willRead More →
Pupils and teachers at a Carrickfergus school were thrilled to have a surprise visit from Pantosaurus as they get ready to host a superhero-themed fundraising event for the NSPCC’s flagship Childhood Day. The friendly yellow dinosaur is the mascot of the NSPCC’s PANTS campaign that helps parents, carers and professionalsRead More →
Research highlights challenges facing low-income families in eating a healthy, balanced diet while meeting other essential household expenses Low-income families in Northern Ireland now need to spend up to almost half (46%) of their weekly income to afford a healthy food basket that meets basic nutritional needs, new research hasRead More →