The Education Minister must follow the UK Government in pledging free school meal payments for children over the summer, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Assembly’s Education Committee, was speaking after the Government announced a ‘COVID Summer School Fund’ to feed those in receipt of free school meals, […]
The Education Minister must give an urgent update on what support services are in place for children with special educational needs (SEN) while special schools remain closed due to the coronavirus crisis, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle has written to Peter Weir requesting he make an urgent oral statement to […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has welcomed a move to confirm funding for a reading initiative encouraging parents to read with their babies and young children. Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Assembly’s Education Committee, was speaking after Peter Weir confirmed the Department of Education would part-fund the Booktrust charity’s Bookstart programme. The East Belfast […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said five Catholic grammar schools have shown welcome leadership after they announced they will not use transfer tests for taking pupils next year. The Co Down schools – Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Our Lady’s Grammar School, Sacred Heart Grammar School, and St Colman’s College in Newry, and […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle has welcomed today’s announcement that £12 million has now been set aside for substitute teachers pay. Mr Lyttle – Chair of the Education Committee said the move would be a welcome boost of morale for the education sector, that up until now had witnessed a key part of Northern Ireland’s […]
Alliance representatives have welcomed the announcement a graduate entry medical school in Derry-Londonderry has been given the go-ahead. Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill made the announcement today, confirming the Magee campus will open from September 2021. Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA said the school would complement and enhance the existing provision at Queen’s University. […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said a two-week postponement of transfer tests will not make up for several months of missed learning in classrooms. Mr Lyttle was speaking after AQE announced their tests will be held on November 21, 28 and December 12, while the PPTC tests will be on December 5. “A […]
Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has called for a special dedicated press conference for children and young people by the First and Deputy First Ministers to answer questions relating to the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Lyttle, who took part in an online discussion with the Northern Ireland Youth Forum last week on the issue, said similar press […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has welcomed confirmation funding has been secured for 300 additional nursing and midwifery undergraduate places in Northern Ireland for the coming year. Health Minister Robin Swann said the training places would be allocated among local universities and apportioned among the adult, children’s, mental health, learning disability and midwifery fields […]
Not using transfer tests for post-primary admission must be given serious consideration by the Education Minister, Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said, after the AQE organisation postponed the registration date for its transfer test. Registration for P6 pupils has been delayed until May 14, with AQE saying it is to provide clarity for paretns due to the […]