A scheme to make period products freely available to pupils in primary, secondary, special schools and EOTAS settings has been launched. The three-year pilot programme is expected to cost £2.6 million and is being delivered in partnership with the Education Authority (EA), the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and AssessmentRead More →
New Parentkind research reveals stark division with most parents having strong views either way A new poll of 185 parents in Northern Ireland has found that only 51% of parents with 12-15 year old children indicate that they would approve of their child being vaccinated, versus 36% saying they wouldRead More →
The annual flu vaccination programme is once again being expanded to protect the vulnerable and ease winter pressures as Covid-19 pressures continue. The programme is to be extended to cover all secondary school children from years 8 to year 12. In addition, those aged 50 to 64 will also beRead More →
Special schools are set to benefit from an £800,000 investment for outdoor play and learning support. The funding will support the delivery of high quality creative and innovative play and learning experiences for all children and young people in special schools. Education Minister Michelle McIlveen announced the new programme at LongstoneRead More →
People aged 12-15 in Northern Ireland will be offered a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine shortly. This move follows the unanimous advice to ministers from the four UK Chief Medical Officers. Health Minister Robin Swann said: “I have carefully considered the advice provided by the four UK Chief Medical OfficersRead More →
Healthy children aged 12 to 15 should be offered one dose of a Covid vaccine, the UK’s chief medical officers say. In a letter to ministers the four CMOs said it would help reduce disruption to education. The move means around three million children across the UK could be eligibleRead More →
Education settings will no longer be asked to carry out contact tracing of pupils following an agreement between the departments of Education and Health. Starting today (10 September), contact tracing in schools will be taken forward primarily by the Public Health Agency’s (PHA) Contact Tracing Service, which brings Northern IrelandRead More →
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has spoken out the current situation in relation to the impact of COVID-19 on schools. The Stormont Assembly has been recalled amid growing concern over the number of pupils who are absent from school because they are self-isolating due to close contact with a positive CovidRead More →
Pupils at Glencraig Integrated Primary School in Holywood will be amongst the first children in Northern Ireland to experience the Little Sunflower project, a course designed to strengthen emotional and mental wellbeing. Created by Newry-born Sarah Gilbert, Little Sunflower is an early intervention program for seven to 10-year-olds, which willRead More →
Figures obtained by NSPCC Northern Ireland reveal that online grooming crimes recorded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) jumped by 139% in the last three years to an all-time high. NSPCC campaigning saw the offence of sexual communication with a child introduced in Northern Ireland in February 2016.Read More →
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen hailed a £21m investment in the provision of education for special schools. A total of 17 special schools will benefit from the funding providing 61 additional classes, the recruitment of approximately 60 additional teachers and 145 additional classroom assistants. The Minister was visiting the Harberton North campusRead More →
A new report from Child Poverty Action Group and Covid Realities shows that 36% (about 1 million) of all school-aged children in poverty in the UK are not entitled to a free meal at school. The analysis shows that despite a rise in the number of children claiming FSMs betweenRead More →