Peter Weir
Strangford · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Funding was secured for that scheme, and we have been able to take further steps on it. As highlighted by my colleague Diane Dodds, we have seen my successor, the current Minister, be able to implement it at the beginning of September 2021 and funding be made available for it.”
“One of the great fears — I saw it particularly, as Education Minister, from the point of view of children and the domestic setting between partners — was what was going to happen in families when the doors closed and the locks went on. What was happening behind closed doors?”
“There is another significant element of the Bill. I have spoken about it in the Chamber on a couple of occasions. There is always a slight danger that we, as legislators, see legislation as being the end of a process and think that we can pack it away, put it on the shelf and forget about the problem because it has been solved.”
“I welcome the passage of the Bill's Final Stage and commend all the campaigners who have pressed so hard for it and the Bill sponsor. For Pat Catney, hearing some of the tributes must be like hearing eulogies at your funeral, without having to go through the indignity of dying, which is always a double advantage.”
“As highlighted by a number of Members, the impact of period poverty, though not confined to it, has been particularly acute in young women's education. We know that the impact can lead to the missing of education and constraints within education, and that it does so in a disproportionate way.”
“I support the Bill's Final Stage, and I commend the Bill's sponsor for introducing it. I thank the Minister and the Department for the positive attitude that they have taken towards it.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,831 lines we hold for Peter Weir, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 13 of 77.
“The combination of their teaching and research experience, their community and family partnerships and their skills and knowledge makes the report unique by ensuring that the actions are challenging, cross-cutting and pragmatic. It is my belief that every child in Northern Ireland, regardless of their community background, will benefit from the delivery of the action plan. It will provide a chance for them to realise their hopes and dreams for the future, which will be encouraged, nurtured and developed. <BR /> <BR />As I said last year, this is not an area that divides us; rather, it is one that should unite us, regardless of our political affiliation or constitutional preference.”
“<BR /> <BR />I concur with the panel that the actions set out in the action plan are capable of making a significant, long-standing impact on children's learning now and for the foreseeable future. While the scale of the challenges is very significant, both in policy and financial terms, investment in education from early years onwards is vital to Northern Ireland's economic recovery in the long run. <BR /> <BR />I formally thank the panel chair, Noel Purdy, and members, Joyce Logue, Mary Montgomery, Kathleen O’Hare and Jackie Redpath, for the significant and detailed report, which reflects the many hours of interviews, oral evidence sessions and submissions that they received as part of their engagement process. That work was all carried out during a global pandemic.”
“The panel highlights the importance of effective collaboration across the public sector, breaking down departmental silos and co-designing policies with a child-centred focus and from the perspective of the family as a whole. COVID-19 has presented the public sector and particularly the education sector with many significant challenges, but it has also shown what can be done when decisions have to be made quickly because there is a justified need. The public sector has risen to that challenge in a way in which many of us could not have expected, and it is important to build on that momentum. That rapid approach to problem-solving and the delivery of services through flexible working for staff to meet unprecedented challenges forms a template for how things should be done in the future.”
“<BR /> <BR />Teachers and other education professionals also need significant and ongoing support throughout their career, with clear pathways for them to follow, allowing them to excel at teaching and learning and to develop appropriate leadership skills if they aspire to become middle and senior managers capable of heading multifaceted teams. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us one thing, it is how challenging the skill of teaching can be, how valuable our teachers are and how much we need to cherish them for all that they do. That is why greater investment in the professional development of our school leaders and school teachers also forms part of the panel's report.”
“If we consider the recent unrest over the Northern Ireland protocol, together with the impact that 12 months of lockdown might have had on our young people, we can see how important positive role models are. That, together with the provision of appropriate support and opportunities, is so important, for young men in particular if they feel that their voice is not being heard, and the actions in the action plan reflect that. The panel has therefore proposed specific interventions to help support boys in their learning and to maximise their potential.”
“The panel has therefore recommended that my Department build on the highly effective extended schools programme in order to incentivise schools to work more collaboratively with the communities that they serve. In what is being termed a new reducing educational disadvantage (RED) programme, the emphasis will be on a new place-based approach to learning, where communities and schools work together as partners in education to enable our children and young people to excel on their educational journey. I am content to direct my officials to take that important work forward at pace. <BR /> <BR />As is required by its terms of reference, the panel has proposed specific interventions to support boys in their learning. As the report outlines:”
“<BR /> <BR />I concur also with the panel's view of the central role played by parents and families in supporting their children's learning before, during and after the 14 years of formal education. Members may remember that, in my statement in July last year, I said that children up to the age of 18 spend approximately 13% of their waking hours at school, which means that 87% of their time is spent out of school, at home. Parents and families need help to provide that support, particularly parents whose confidence has been affected by their own education experience and whose ability to support their children's learning is hindered by their adverse circumstances.”
“The panel has proposed a number of important actions to address that, including rationalising assessment from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3 and looking afresh at how English, maths and digital skills are assessed at Key Stage 4. <BR /> <BR />The panel calls for my Department to take forward its planned system evaluation framework, and I am happy to commit to that. As the panel acknowledges, the framework will illustrate, at system level, the range of ways in which schools support learners as they progress through their education, providing additional information such as the context of the school, the challenges that learners attending face and the value-added provided. That will tell a much broader story of success than attainment alone, which, too often, has focused solely on narrow measures of success.”
“It is to be welcomed that the panel has referenced the significant investment of £6.5 million pounds per annum that the Minister of Health and I have made in emotional health and well-being support, as is the proposal to build on my investment in nurture units, as a result of their continued success. <BR /> <BR />The panel refers to the Northern Ireland curriculum that has been in place since 2007. It acknowledges that the curriculum's design is broadly sound, but it suggests that teachers need ongoing support and training in order to understand its important principles and the assessment that underpins it. That is in keeping with previous Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) reports.”
“The actions outlined will mean that parents and families will be more knowledgeable about their child's development and how to support it, and there will be a clear and seamless pathway available to all children from birth to four years of age. That will provide the vital basis for the foundation stage of the curriculum. The investment is significant, ranging from £6 million initially to almost £50 million per annum within five years. <BR /> <BR />The report also gives prominence to emotional health and well-being, an issue that has affected so many people over the past year and that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“I have already signalled my clear support and willingness to do all that I can at the Executive table to see this action plan fully realised. The action plan prioritises early years, and I believe that the 13 actions outlined are essential in enabling children to be ready to start school. There is significant research to support the need to refocus on early years, because, if we do not address children's needs early, many young children will start formal schooling at a major disadvantage, educationally and socially, to their peers.”
“The key areas are redirecting the focus to early years; championing emotional health and well-being; ensuring the relevance and appropriateness of curriculum and assessment; promoting a whole-community approach to education; maximising boys' potential; driving forward teachers' professional learning; supporting the professional learning and well-being of school leadership; and, finally, ensuring interdepartmental collaboration and delivery. <BR /> <BR />The action plan proposes a wide range of actions to support children from birth and throughout their early years up to and including the time when they start school. It intentionally spans the next five years and beyond, because those are strategic issues that require long-term political commitment and financial support.”
“The engagement sessions included six regional sessions in Ballymena, Belfast, Cookstown, Londonderry, Enniskillen and Newry. Those sessions were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was almost universal agreement that addressing educational underachievement brought about as a consequence of socio-economic disadvantage is wider than education alone, and if, as a society, we are serious about wanting to see fundamental change for the benefit of our most disadvantaged, everyone in Northern Ireland must prioritise education and learning as a route out of poverty. That means placing equality of opportunity at the centre of everything that we do. In doing so, all learners will benefit and society as a whole will benefit. <BR /> <BR />'A Fair Start' has identified eight key areas and 47 actions for change.”
“<BR /> <BR />The expert panel on educational underachievement conducted its work from September 2020 to May 2021 and, during that time, heard from a wide range of stakeholders, including educationalists, parents and families, children and young people, policymakers, political and business representatives, and the voluntary and community sector. A broad range of views was expressed on the significant and long-standing issues affecting many learners. The panel highlights the commitment, dedication and enthusiasm, inside and outside the education system, to enable all learners to give of their best and to reach their full potential. <BR /> <BR />During the oral evidence sessions, the panel met an astonishing total of 344 individuals across 24 days from September 2020 to February 2021.”
“We must endeavour to instil that confidence in our children. As a society, we must encourage our children and young people and show them that there are opportunities for every child, from every family and from every background. We must all set a positive example for our young people to follow. Parents, families and communities all have a part to play in ensuring that our children seize every opportunity offered to them, because early investment in a child's life can reap significant rewards later in life.”
“Dundonald High School has made considerable progress over the last number of years under the leadership of Ken Perry and has benefited from the support provided by the Department of Education and the Education Authority as it continues to serve its community. <BR /> <BR />Today's report will be of interest and value to schools like Dundonald High School whose pupils and families continue to face many challenges educationally and economically. The expert panel's report is about investing in our children's future and providing them with the confidence, knowledge and skills that they need to progress in life. Alongside those important attributes are aspiration and opportunity. The two go hand in hand. Theodore Roosevelt once said:”
“For a number of years, I have been personally committed to addressing educational underachievement, and Assembly Members will be aware of that. I am thrilled today to have this report in my hands, and I want to commit to the Assembly that this will not be another report simply to sit on the shelf, but, rather, action on its implementation will start today. <BR /> <BR />After nine months' work, the panel launched its report today from Dundonald High School, and I can think of no better location from which to have done that this morning. Serving the people of east Belfast and further afield for many years, the school has almost 600 pupils, 50% of whom are entitled to free school meals, with a similar proportion of children with special educational needs.”
“I wish to make a statement to the Assembly on today's publication of 'A Fair Start', which is the final report and action plan of the independent expert panel that I appointed less than a year ago to examine the links between persistent educational underachievement and socio-economic background. This is an important day, and this important report, which delivers on a New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) commitment, is one that I am personally proud to endorse. In the 'New Decade, New Approach' agreement text, there is a requirement that:”
“As part of that, with any new build, there is a requirement to look widely for any potential venues, which means that any capital build, by its nature, will tend to be a lot more elongated than, for example, the school enhancement programme. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Members for their contributions today. I will continue to work with schools in East Antrim and beyond, because every student deserves the best possible facilities for their education.”
“If I had known that earlier, I could have spun this out a little bit better. <BR /> <BR />Mention was made of the Abbey Community College project as well. It was announced in 2014. The integrated consultant team has been appointed and a feasibility study completed. It identified a number of feasible options to provide accommodation for the college. A business case is being developed by the Education Authority to determine the preferred option to be taken forward. <BR /> <BR />The valid point was made that we need to look at how the process can move more quickly. Balanced against that is a need to ensure value for public money, particularly with major capital works, and that creates a need for a level of checks.”
“The business case was approved by the Department with a total capital value of £32·9 million. The current position is that the developed design stage 3 submission is being reviewed by the Department's technical advisers. Therefore, there is a level of movement there. <BR /> <BR />Abbey Community College —.”
“<BR /> <BR />An application was submitted for Whiteabbey Primary School, but it did not get a green light for a full announcement. However, some work has been provided for in minor works. Those projects are expected to go to tender over the next week or two. <BR /> <BR />St Killian's College was mentioned. It was announced under a major works programme in June 2014.”
“Therefore, it did not even make the starting gate for consideration. That is why, I think, there needs to be continued engagement. <BR /> <BR />Greenisland Primary School has been announced in the SEP. It is at an early stage. An initial site visit has been undertaken by the EA, and procurement of a design team for the project is well-advanced. Once a design team is appointed, formal steering group meetings will take place, and that will allow the school to make an impact directly. <BR /> <BR />Good work has gone on with the sports pitches at Carrickfergus Grammar School. I know that there has been the situation in the SEP. I visited with the mayor, and there has been good work between the council and Carrickfergus Grammar School. That should be advanced.”
“We will examine the protocol to make sure that it is fit for purpose. At times, not enough credit is given to the state of the school buildings. I assure Members that I believe that it is critical that there is a high level of scoring for split sites. As Members have pointed out, there is an inequity, and it raises the pressures that are there. <BR /> <BR />I have been to Larne High School, and I am aware of the very good work that is going on. One of the important things to note is that, in any process for capital build, be it SEP or major works, the managing authority will put forward a range of schools to be considered. The Education Authority did not put forward Larne High School in either the latest school enhancement programme call or the latest major capital works programme.”
“I am glad that one Member is raising the issue of the protocol without it causing quite the level of controversy that it does in other subjects.”
“That will be scored independently by officials, but Carrickfergus Academy is well placed for it. Strong consideration will be given in the scoring. I cannot make any direct promises in relation to that; in the past, sometimes, too many promises have been made.”
“I can update Members that the design of the new build progresses well and that stage 4, which is the technical design report, was submitted by the integrated consultant team for approval by the Department on 17 May 2021. Members will be aware that the planning application for the project has been lodged with the council. We hope that it progresses. <BR /> <BR />As for Carrickfergus Academy, in the last capital call prior to devolution, mention was made of incentivising amalgamations. One of the problems, to some extent, was that nearly all the schools that went forward at that stage and were approved in that capital call were amalgamations. Carrickfergus Academy fell just a little bit below the radar in numbers. However, it is the intention for there to be a fresh capital call later in 2021.”
“I turn to some of the individual schools that have been mentioned. Islandmagee Primary School and Carrickfergus Academy share the particular pressures of being split-site schools. I was recently at Carrickfergus Academy, and I will look to see whether there is any scope for additional funding to be looked at for split-site schools. That will impact on a limited number of sites across Northern Ireland, but any adjustment to the common funding formula by way of additional money for split sites will mean, effectively, a different division of money. Any money going to one school will always have a knock-on effect on others. <BR /> <BR />There has been frustration at Islandmagee. The business case was approved in July 2019 and identified a new-build school on the Low Road.”
“I will come to Carrick and Greenisland in greater detail later. Two SEP programmes have been completed in recent years at Acorn Integrated, which was mentioned, and Belfast High, with total investment in the region of £5 million. <BR /> <BR />In the past three financial years, over £6 million from the minor works programme has been invested across schools in East Antrim. From the broader perspective, it is, obviously, the responsibility of the managing authorities to plan sustainable provision and, as I will touch on, to be the gateway for building applications.”
“Under the major capital programme initiated in 2012, work on five schools in East Antrim was announced. While mention was made of the slightly quicker progress at Ulidia, that work was announced under the Fresh Start programme, which has enabled the money to be levered in directly. Of the other school projects, two — Woodburn Primary and Corran Integrated — with an investment totalling £8·7 million, are complete. <BR /> <BR />Every school would like a new build, of course, but sometimes that is not possible. The other device that has principally been used is the school enhancement programme (SEP), which enables investment of up to £4 million. Four SEP programmes have been announced for East Antrim: Roddensvale, as I mentioned, Carrick Grammar, Thornfield House and Greenisland Primary.”
“I do not intend to touch too directly on that because, while we are moving to a longer-term cycle for area planning, specific decisions on individual schools are a legal process to which I have to directly respond and on which I am forbidden from commenting. <BR /> <BR />Mr McGuigan commented on special needs transport. While it does not cut down the travel time, the EA has recently launched a series of new buses with a much greater level of comfort and safety for children, with a particular focus on special needs schools. Tomorrow, I will visit Roddensvale special school in Larne. It will be interesting to see whether those transport issues are raised. <BR /> <BR />The school estate in East Antrim comprises 52 schools, with 14,000 pupils being educated in them.”
“If, however, particularly in relation to individual schools that have been mentioned, I inadvertently omit a school or do not have the time to complete a response, I will endeavour to write to Members with the specifics. <BR /> <BR />Members will be aware that the broader school estate, including special schools in the system, comprises about 1,100 schools. Part of the frustration comes from the sense that the budget for capital expenditure could, if the money were there, be spent three or four times over. That has resulted in a range of schools not being in the best possible condition. <BR /> <BR />Area planning was mentioned.”
“First, I associate myself with the remarks of Members who sent their best wishes to my colleague and friend David Hilditch for his treatment. <BR /> <BR />I am delighted to respond on this Adjournment topic. I am sure that Members will forgive me if I keep my remarks on the school estate to East Antrim. Road infrastructure, traffic management and safety on our roads may lie outside the scope. If only there were some other Minister from a different party who could answer on those issues. One assumes that there will be a quiet word rather than a debate on the subject. <BR /> <BR />I appreciate a lot of the frustrations and concerns. In the 10 minutes that I have, I hope to deal with as many as possible of the issues that have been raised directly by Members.”
“I do not have details of the individual sites. However, when any public land is sold off, there will be some restriction on where the money goes. It will depend on whether direct money has been provided for the site in the first place. Generally speaking, the money from sales goes back to public finances and the Treasury. The Member makes a reasonable point. Unfortunately, however, the money cannot be ring-fenced for reallocation within the Department of Education. My job would be a lot easier if it could.”
“Carnalbanagh falls directly outside East Antrim, but it has a draw from East Antrim. When the development proposal was signed off, it was done on the specific condition that additional transport and space would be made available if required. That instruction was given as part of the conditions of the DP to the Education Authority, so, if there is an issue there, I am happy to contact the Member about it. As I said, however, that was part of the sign-off. It was put down in writing as part of the development proposal decision.”
“Any and all proposals for change emerging from the review, including any that require legislative change, will be subject to approval. Clearly, where legislative change is needed, the House will have a key role, and I hope that the same united voice as we have today can be carried through into any legislative change.”
“It is part of the Department's 2021-22 business plan, which has a commitment that it will be completed by March 2022 at the latest. I expect that guidance will issue in the forthcoming academic year. I would like to complete the review as quickly as possible, and I have made it a priority for the Department's inclusion and well-being directorate. The large number of stakeholders involved and the complexity of that area of work preclude me from making promises on the timing of completion that may not be realistic. <BR /> <BR />Despite the urgency, we should do the job once and do it thoroughly and correctly. We have further engagement to do. We want, above all, to get this right, and our children and young people deserve no less.”
“<BR /> <BR />My Department is also liaising with the Department of Health. As Ms Bradshaw, I think, mentioned, it is important that this does not sit only in the Department of Education; indeed, the Department of Health has undertaken a review of the use of restrictive practices in health and social care settings. While my officials are not directly involved in the work that Health is doing, they are being kept fully abreast of developments and will ensure that future definitions of restraint and/or seclusion align with those emerging from the DH review, suitably adapted for use in education. It is important that Departments do not go in different directions. <BR /> <BR />Members will be interested to know when I expect the guidance to be published.”
“The Department continues to liaise with those parents and their advocacy groups and has opened a two-way channel of communication. Their voices are and will continue to be central to the review. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner is undertaking a separate review of the issue, with NIPSO acting in an advisory role. NICCY will review the information available from schools on restraint and seclusion, including training, guidance, usage and follow-through, with processes being assessed against best practice and the experience of children and their parents. The NICCY review will include evidence gathering from pupils and parents with lived experiences. The Department is liaising with NICCY with a view to utilising the evidence collected to inform its review, and we are keen to work in partnership with NICCY on that.”
“I have also established a reference group comprising associated professionals and statutory bodies such as NICCY, the Children's Law Centre and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, which have all agreed to act as a critical friend to quality-assure and assess proposals for change as the review progresses. <BR /> <BR />Officials have undertaken significant engagement with parents and have met Positive and Active Behaviour Support Scotland and the International Coalition Against Restraint and Seclusion. Those meetings included evidence from local parents with lived experiences who, supported by their parent advocates, made presentations to a joint meeting of the working and reference groups just over a week ago, on 11 May.”
“Perhaps in the few minutes that are still available to me, Members will afford me the opportunity to update them on what, I believe, is the significant progress that has been made in recent months on moving the review forward. A working group consisting of officials from my Department and other relevant Departments, alongside the EA and the Education and Training Inspectorate, is well established and is meeting regularly throughout 2021 until the completion of the review. The group is researching guidance and other relevant reports on the issue from across neighbouring jurisdictions with a view to extracting best practice that may be adopted in schools in Northern Ireland.”
“Along with the EA and other training providers, the review will consider whether additional or, indeed, mandatory training for teaching and other school staff is required. Consideration will be dependent on an agreed position on the changes that will emerge from the review. It is clear that any form of mandatory training will come at a considerable cost. We are all aware of the limited budget, so we have to make sure that training requirements must be not only fit for purpose but compatible with resources. <BR /> <BR />It is important that we move ahead with urgency to protect children from the unnecessary use of restraint and seclusion.”
“<BR /> <BR />I note that the motion mentions the availability of training for teachers and other school staff who may deal with autistic pupils or pupils with other complex needs. The Education Authority's children and young people's services has in place a wide range of specialist training courses for teachers, classroom assistants, special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) and parents. Those courses include the autism advisory and intervention service; behavioural support service and provision; critical incident support in emotional health and well-being; nurture advice and support services; SEN early years inclusion services; SEN inclusion services for learning and medical needs; and the special educational needs and disability (SEND) 2016 implementation team.”
“<BR /> <BR />The consideration of future recording and reporting methods will form a central tenet of the review with a view to strengthening the provisions already in place. That will include the consideration of options for the central collation of data on incidents in schools. At present, data is not collected, with records held only at school level. That practice means that, to some extent, the Department and the EA are unsighted on the prevalence of the use of restraint and seclusion. Mandatory recording will require legislative change, but if, as is likely, that is a recommendation of the review, I will not shy away from implementing it. I understand that my officials are already exploring how that might be done so that any proposals for change can be informed.”
“It appears clear that the guidance has not been followed in all cases. I completely acknowledge that that has led to distress. I believe it is the case that the overwhelming majority of education staff are very sensitive to the needs of our children and respect their dignity when providing them with support. The professionalism of our teaching and wider education workforce should not be forgotten. <BR /> <BR />I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the review or any proposals for change that will come from it. However, at this stage, I expect that any new guidance will clarify issues on the use of restrictive practice and will point to evidence-based preventative and therapeutic approaches, such as positive behavioural strategies, that will not only help children and their parents and carers but benefit school staff.”
“I am concerned that I cannot stand here and provide you with an assurance that it is mandatory for schools to record all incidents of seclusion: it is not. It should not be forgotten, however, that existing guidance in that area, which is in the circular, provides clear instructions about who can use reasonable force, where it is appropriate to use it and the procedure for recording incidents where reasonable force is used. It also advises that schools should have a written policy on the use of reasonable force that should be made known to pupils.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. As I have indicated, it is a step forward, but the work is not finished. There is much more to be done. <BR /> <BR />Prior to issuing the interim guidance to schools, my Department took receipt of detailed legal advice from the Departmental Solicitor's Office on the legal status of existing guidance.”
“I will give way briefly, but I have a lot to get through.”
“For the first time, the guidance includes provision for dealing with the isolation of children from the classroom. The practice of a child voluntarily using a calm space or a sensory room — I have seen many fine examples of that throughout the schools estate — where they can regulate their mood can, sometimes, be a positive intervention that benefits the child. That is simply not the same as locking a pupil in a room, unsupervised, that they cannot leave. That practice should not happen, and the interim guidance states that clearly. I hope that that goes some way to alleviate some of the concerns of parents with lived experience. If the guidance is followed, no other child should go through experiences similar to theirs.”
“At this stage, we have not sought to define seclusion or what forms of seclusion, if any, are permissible in what circumstances. That is because seclusion and deprivation of liberty are still being considered as part of the wider review. However, we have been clear that children should never be locked in a room or left unaccompanied and must be able to leave when they want to. <BR /> <BR />I am well aware that the interim guidance does not deal with all of the issues or concerns raised here today, nor does it deal with all of the issues raised by parents and their representatives. However, it goes some way to clarify the provisions that are already contained in existing guidance related to the recording, reporting and monitoring of incidents.”