Staff must be given resources and support needed to make school restart safe, says Lyttle

Teaching and non-teaching staff must be given the resources and support needed to restart schools safely, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle was speaking as many pupils in years seven, 12 and 14 had their first day back at school since lockdown, although several schools have remained closed due to positive […]

GCSE grades news means Minister’s refusal to do same for A-Level and AS-Level is untenable, says Lyttle

News GCSE grades will be awarded on teacher assessment means the Education Minister’s refusal to do the same for A-Level and AS-Level is untenable, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Assembly Education Committee Chair Mr Lyttle was speaking following Peter Weir’s decision, which came in the wake of the East Belfast MLA securing […]

Lyttle delighted for A-Level and AS-Level students after Education Minister U-turn

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said he is delighted for A-Level and AS-Level pupils, after the Education Minister announced a U-turn to award them the highest grade from either teacher predictions or awarded by CCEA. Peter Weir’s reversal came in the wake of an earlier announcement that GCSE students would be based on […]

Decisive action needed to deliver fair grades for all pupils

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA, Assembly Education Committee Chair, has said the Minister must act immediately to ensure fair grades for all pupils. Mr Lyttle was speaking after he convened a special meeting of the Committee on Friday morning, allowing an opportunity for Education Minister Peter Weir and exams body CCEA to be quizzed […]

Education Minister must explain how A-Level appeals process will address low grades, says Lyttle

The Education Minister must explain how the appeals process will address the low grades received by many A-Level and AS-Level students here, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. More than a third – 37 per cent – of estimated grades allocated by teachers were lowered in the final results, with only 5.3 per […]

Education Minister and CCEA must ensure fair A-Level and GCSE grade awards, says Lyttle

The Education Minister and Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) must ensure students receive fair A-Level and GCSE grades this week and next, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Assembly Education Committee Chair Mr Lyttle was speaking ahead of the release of results by CCEA, which will be decided on a […]

Education Minister must take action to arrest failure of statementing and area planning processes, says Lyttle

The Education Minister must take action to arrest the failure of the special education statementing and area planning processes, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle was speaking after questioning Education Minister Peter Weir on the issue in the Assembly. “As of today, 595 children are waiting longer than the statutory limit […]

Unacceptable dispute between two biggest parties holding back free school meal payments, says Lyttle

It is unacceptable a dispute between the DUP and Sinn Féin is resulting in a lack of funding for free school meals payments, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Executive Ministers did not sign off on the funding at their meeting yesterday (Monday). It is understood the DUP refused to do so following […]

Education Minister must now pledge free school meals over summer for Northern Ireland, says Lyttle

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, […]

Education Minister must give urgent update on support services for special educational needs children, says Lyttle

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 […]