Lavery to seek meeting with Education Authority over future of Lurgan campus

Alliance Lurgan representative Peter Lavery is to seek a meeting with the Education Authority after it announced a consultation into the future of the Lurgan campus of Craigavon Senior High School. The move could see the school’s pupils transferred to the Portadown campus from September 2020. The plans were outlined in a meeting at the […]

Lack of devolution severely hampering early childhood development, says Lyttle

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said the lack of devolution is severely hampering early childhood development, after a major survey showed the childcare bill is the largest or second largest monthly outgoing for two-thirds of families here. The Childcare Cost Survey Report by Employers for Childcare showed after housing, the childcare bill continues to exceed […]

Alliance calls for teachers to be awarded Freedom of Belfast

Alliance Deputy Lord Mayor Emmet McDonough Brown has called for Teachers to be awarded the Freedom of the City, in recognition of all they do to support, train and inspire Northern Ireland’s next generation. Calling for the accolade to be delivered at the earliest opportunity, Emmet added this was a positive issue he hoped all […]

Online pre school and primary school admissions issues

Alliance’s Strangford MLA, Kellie Armstrong, has received assurances that today’s crash impacting the Education Authority’s online admissions application will not impact children entering pre school and primary school this September. Kellie has received a number of contacts from concerned parents who had tried to apply online for pre school and primary school places for this […]

Almost time to apply for pre-school and primary places

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has reminded parents of eligible children that it will soon be time to apply for pre-school or primary places. If your child is starting pre-school or primary school in September 2019, you can apply for their place online from January 2, 2019 at 10am. Applications will close at midnight […]

Martin welcomes funding boost for local schools

Alliance Alderman Stephen Martin has welcomed news funding is to be made available for two local schools. He said: “The Chancellor’s decision today that both Forthill Integrated Primary School and Forthill Integrated College are to share in a pot of £66 million with 15 other schools for essential building work is great news for Lisburn.’ […]

Alliance meets with EA over future of Craigavon Senior High School

Alliance representatives have met with the Education Authority to discuss growing concerns over the future of Craigavon Senior High School’s Lurgan campus. Local representative Peter Lavery joined Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA, where the EA confirmed all options remained on the table for the local school. Peter added: “With growing concern amongst local people, I […]

School debt proof of need for Bengoa-style review of education, says Lyttle

News almost half of Northern Ireland’s schools being in debt are proof of an urgent need for a Bengoa-style review of the entire education system, Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said. Mr Lyttle was speaking after figures from the Education Authority showed 446 schools out of 1,000 analysed for the current academic year are projected […]

Ards and North Down know menstruation matters, says Douglas

Alliance Councillor Karen Douglas has proved menstruation matters, as Ards and North Down back her plans to see sanitary products provided within local schools and colleges free of charge. At a recent Council meeting Karen secured support to write to the Department of Education to ask for the products to be put in place as […]

Dickson says ‘farms not factories’ are best for communities and food welfare

Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson has helped launch a film criticising the intensive industrial meat production in Northern Ireland, saying we should be aiming for ‘farms not factories’ when it comes to agrifood. Mr Dickson was speaking after the screening of Pig Business in Northern Ireland at Parliament Buildings, which shows the impact the farms can […]