Lyttle says impact of disrupted learning for pupils must be mitigated

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said the impact of disrupted learning for pupils must be mitigated, after the Education Minister confirmed schools here will calculate GCSE, AS and A-Level grades for students. Peter Weir told the Assembly exams body CCEA would then review the grades. It marks a difference from the 2020 method of […]

More must be done to support teachers, parents and pupils with remote learning, says Lyttle

More must be done to support teachers, parents and pupils in remote learning, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said, after it was announced most pupils would not return to schools until March 8 at the earliest. First Minister Arlene Foster made the announcement after a recommendation from Education Minister Peter Weir. Special schools […]

Contingency admissions criteria urgently needed further to AQE cancellation and apology says Lyttle

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said a contingency admissions criteria for post-primary transfer is urgently needed, after months of frustration and distress for pupils, parents and teachers. Speaking after AQE announced the full cancellation of its tests, Chris, Chair of Stormont’s Education Committee, said: “I acknowledge the AQE apology for the distress caused by persistent […]

Lyttle calls on Education Minister and all parties to show leadership after grammar schools confirm they won’t use transfer tests

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has called on the Education Minister and all parties to show leadership after a number of grammar schools confirmed they would not be using transfer tests this year. Further to an increasing number of schools announcing they would not use tests, Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, said Alliance […]

P7 pupils and parents deserve urgent clarity on transfer contingency plans, says Lyttle

Children due to sit the post-primary transfer tests and their parents deserve urgent clarity on contingency plans now the tests will not proceed as planned, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle was speaking after AQE and PPTC would not proceed in January, only days before the first was due to take […]

Urgent action needed on Transfer Tests says Lyttle

The Education Minister has failed to take control of post primary transfer this year despite consistent calls for contingency planning throughout the pandemic, Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said. The Chair of Stormont’s Education Committee, Mr Lyttle said ‘the Minister, the Association of Quality Education, the Post Primary Transfer Consortium and selective schools have deemed […]

Alliance MLAs have co-signed an Assembly recall petition to address planned school re-openings next week

Education Spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has again reiterated calls for a phased return to schools in January, an issue he pushed the Minister on just last week during a special sitting of the Assembly. Mr Lyttle – Chair of the Education Committee – added: “We are in a serious situation, and one which the Education […]

Confidence in Minister’s approach to school restart critically low, says Lyttle

Confidence in the Education Minister’s approach to school restart is critically low, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Assembly’s Education Committee, was speaking after Peter Weir gave a statement to the Assembly following the threat of a recall petition by Mr Lyttle. The Minister outlined plan for remote […]