Northern Ireland

The latest news, analysis, investigations and professional advice covering everything to do with the education sector in Northern Ireland

Friday

20th Jun 2025

How many schools are there in the UK?
Find the latest data on the number of UK schools, plus details on governing bodies, curricula, inspections and more
bib number of schools
How many teachers are there in the UK?
Find the latest school workforce numbers for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Counting abacus

Friday

13th Jun 2025

Revealed: Education figures in King’s Birthday Honours list 2025
Delta CEO Paul Tarn has been given a knighthood and North East Learning Trust CEO Lesley Powell has been appointed dame
King's new years honours list

Friday

4th Apr 2025

Northern Irish teachers accept 5.5% pay offer
Revised offer accepted by unions in Northern Ireland includes a pay rise, averts strikes and has secured an independent review on workload
Northern Irish teachers accept 5.5 per cent pay offer

Friday

14th Mar 2025

What is Northern Ireland’s 10-point plan to ‘transform’ education?
A new ‘strategy for educational excellence’ promises to ‘transform’ teaching and learning in Northern Irish schools – so what does it say?
Number 10 at Giant's causeway

Wednesday

22nd Jan 2025

The struggle for curriculum control - and how it impacts teachers
England is just the latest example of a government using curriculum change to make its mark on education, but things rarely go to plan for anyone involved, explains Professor Mark Priestley
The struggle for curriculum control - and how it impacts teachers

Tuesday

22nd Oct 2024

NI curriculum review aims for ‘knowledge-rich’ approach
International education expert Lucy Crehan to lead Northern Ireland’s review of curriculum design and delivery
NI curriculum review aims for ‘knowledge-rich’ approach

Tuesday

30th Jul 2024

VAT on private school fees from January
Labour government pushes ahead with its plan to remove VAT exemption and business rates relief for independent schools
James murray VAT private school

Wednesday

26th Jun 2024

SEN in Northern Ireland: ‘If we winter this one out, we can summer anywhere’ 
There is ‘growing frustration at all levels’ with Northern Ireland’s special educational needs system – and solutions must be based on a ‘highly inclusive’ approach, says Noel Purdy
SEN in Northern Ireland: ‘If we winter this one out, we can summer anywhere’

Friday

31st May 2024

Future of Northern Ireland school inspection laid out
Northern Ireland’s Education and Training Inspectorate is ‘determined to lower the stakes but raise the impact associated with inspection’
Woodwork spirit level

Wednesday

29th May 2024

Is Northern Ireland education reaching breaking point?
Teachers and school leaders have been holding Northern Ireland’s school system together amid the political turmoil – but they can’t be expected to do that for much longer, says Tony Gallagher
Chain sculpture

Wednesday

15th May 2024

NI education ‘second to none in any portion of the world’?
It is hard to imagine a more crisis-ridden education system than Northern Ireland’s, says Professor Noel Purdy – but he also sees some cause for hope
Flowers