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.”
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“Yes, as far as I can. As the Member is aware, the Association for Quality Education and the Post Primary Transfer Consortium, which hold the transfer tests, are independent organisations, so ultimately it lies within their hands and the hands of the schools that host the tests. Certainly, there have been levels of engagement so that, for example, all the health and safety measures will be put in place. They are perfectly prepared for the tests, so there is no intention for them to be cancelled. The Member makes a very valid point: the more certainty that we can give people, the better, even if sometimes the certainty that we give is not the exact certainty that some others would want in relation to some of those issues.”
“<BR /> <BR />Purely from a health point of view, injecting an extra week's holiday before Christmas and effectively saying, "Here's a large number of children" and expecting them to simply stay at home would not work, with the best will in the world. That would probably create levels of socialisation which would be detrimental from a health point of view, so I am totally opposed to that. There are no plans to close schools early.”
“<BR /> <BR />It was also the case that, when the restrictions were talked about by the Executive, it was unanimously agreed by all the parties that schools should remain open. That is important from an educational and a social point of view. The Member is right that, although there will be certain constrained situations this year, it is important that various events around the nativity and a situation that I am aware of where a number of schools have booked a video photographer and suchlike go ahead. A number of things were missed out by necessity towards the end of the last academic year — those school-leaver-type situations — and I am keen to not add to that.”
“It was very nice of the Member, albeit he was probably being slightly tongue in cheek, to refer to me as a wise man. I am just glad that he did not refer to me as Herod. With regard to primary schools and post-primary schools closing, I am aware that there have been rumours floating about at times — I suppose this is Northern Ireland — but there is no substance to them. Schools will continue with their normal Christmas period up until the week before Christmas on that basis. There are no plans to close early. None of that has come from myself, the Department of Education or the EA; it is a little bit of whispering around the place. It is important that schools remain open.”
“The indications are that what we tried to provide has led to an improving service. There was not really any alternative. What could be provided during COVID was not necessarily going to be absolutely the same as it was under normal circumstances. That is the case across a wide range of services. Our aim and focus is to try to make sure that the backlog is cleared and that we reduce waiting times. We have seen an improvement in waiting times through a short-term intervention, and a longer-term plan has also been put in place. There is no doubt that the longer any child has to wait, the fewer the services that can be provided for them and the more difficult it is for them. That is what we are trying to combat, but we have also got to work, particularly during that peak period of COVID, against practical realities.”
“Indeed, compared with the 158 children who, a year ago, were waiting a little over a year, that number, within a 16-week period, has come down to 10, and there is an 83% improvement in the number of children waiting over 40 weeks. Action has been taken. There is no doubt that COVID created problems, but there are new processes in place that will help to reduce that further.”
“A capacity and demand analysis is being finalised to define the short-term resource that will be required and where that short-term resource is indicated. For this year, a couple of days ago, additional money was granted through the monitoring round. There is short-term resource, but there is also a longer-term delivery model to try to ensure sustained performance within the 26-week period. <BR /> <BR />As indicated, delays have been too long, but we are starting to see an improvement. For example, a year ago today, 107 children were waiting a year and a half for the statementing process. By the end of September this year, no child was waiting a year and a half.”
“The Member says that the backlog "is mounting"; saying that it "mounted" might be a more accurate tense to use. Yes, there is no doubt that some of the pressures from COVID meant that the extent of involvement changed. As I indicated, certain things could carry on, but the involvement was limited. Work continues on managing backlog cases, with the aim of reducing that number. The particular focus is on children who have been waiting longest, and that can include a range of actions to reconfigure processes and workflows across offices. <BR /> <BR />Reducing the backlog will be achieved through a combination of EA's continuing process improvement work and additional short-term staff resource.”
“<BR /> <BR />The service was able to gather information from questionnaires and other screening tools administered via telephone or video call; telephone consultations with school sources, such as the school's special educational needs coordinator; previous assessments; scores from standardised tests or other attainment information; and analysis of the child's developmental checklist, with a view that this information may be added to at a later stage, where necessary. In addition, the service provides advice and resources to staff, as well as training to support children and young people who are struggling at this time. The service continued to provide support during the period of school reopening, and face-to-face assessments resumed in September 2020.”
“I thank the Member for his question. During the period when face-to-face assessment was suspended, the Education Authority's educational psychology service continued to progress stage 3, 4 and 5 assessments, which had previously been consulted on and agreed with schools, and worked closely with EA colleagues in statutory operations to provide psychological advice when requested.”
“It is clear that examinations, however imperfect, represent the best opportunity of a level playing field for students. They are competing not only to get their own grades but against others, particularly for university places and later for employment, and so that their grades can have a level of comparability. That is the case not just with their peers but when they are competing against others of different years, so there should be a level playing field in order that they can have a level of read-across within that.”
“We met with a range of stakeholder groups, and from that, there are discussions that will take place on a regular ongoing basis with the trade unions. We also have a stakeholder group of school principals, and engagement has taken place on a couple of occasions with our officials and those principals on examinations in particular. <BR /> <BR />When the issues have been discussed, particularly with school principals, they have agreed that the best way forward is examinations. There is not a level of demurring from that. It is very difficult, and there is no perfect way to moderate centre-assessed grades if we were to use them. It has to be that one pupil in one school is on a level playing field with others as much as possible, given the constraints.”
“We cannot afford to simply go on a solo run, particularly given that close to 20% of our students at A level do English board examinations. We cannot have a situation where we create that differential between students in Northern Ireland. That would be simply folly.”
“Presumably, if an assessment is being done externally, there is only one of two ways to be fair: either you allow schools to do that completely willy-nilly, in which case you are not putting them on a level playing field; or effectively, those pupils do it in exam conditions. <BR /> <BR />Wales appears to suggest that it is not doing exams, but it is doing exams. That is not just my opinion. For example, the National Association of Head Teachers in Wales said that Wales is doing exams under a different title. That is exams under a different name. Let us get to the kernel of the truth: all jurisdictions, including Wales, Scotland, England and the Republic of Ireland, for their main set of students, are all doing examinations in 2021. Northern Ireland is a small jurisdiction.”
“I entirely recognise what is happening in Scotland and Wales. Scotland's Highers, which are, effectively, used for entry into university, are keeping with examinations, as indeed is the layer below. Scotland has made an adjustment that affects about 10% of its pupils, but it has made sure that its pupils are not disadvantaged when it comes to employment and entry into university. <BR /> <BR />Wales has produced what I call the David Copperfield solution. It has presented a few mirrors and made it look like exams have disappeared. However, as part of its proposals, which have not been particularly well sketched out, it says that one of the key bits of their assessment will be external assessments that are "externally set and externally marked".”
“However, trying to ensure that our pupils get something that is fair and equally portable, that we have something that links in with what is happening elsewhere and that exams with levels of mitigations, adaptations and contingencies, represent the fairest way forward, particularly as we look towards the robustness of our exams. <BR /> <BR />If, for instance, we were to abandon exams in 2021, there would also be the consequence that, when you get to 2022, A-level students, who are probably doing, ultimately, the most important exams of their life, would be in the situation of never having sat a public examination before doing those A levels. That would massively disadvantage them when it comes to, for instance, employment or university places.”
“Certain contingencies have already been put in place. CCEA has made clear that, if there is a reason that someone cannot sit this week's examinations, there will be further opportunities in March or July. It is about trying to get things correct. I want to see two things happen. CCEA has to come forward with its draft proposals. We then need to produce a holistic picture. Deloitte had been tasked to look independently at what happened in 2020, and it is due to report fairly soon. It is important that all those lessons are put in place to ensure that we have something that is as fair as possible. <BR /> <BR />It is about trying to equalise as much as possible. There is no doubt that in the current circumstances there is no perfect solution and no entirely fair solution.”
“Effectively, then, a pupil will be assessed on 60% rather than 100%, which eases the burden considerably. To be fair, while there has been disruption, schools are becoming more adept at remote learning. It is not the case that, if someone is off, no work is being produced, albeit face-to-face teaching is very much to the fore. However, further adaptations need to be looked at. Those will focus on A level and AS level. I look forward to holding that conversation very shortly with CCEA, which is drafting proposals.”
“The first thing is to try to give certainty to pupils. When we see the adaptations, we will want to send a clear message to schools. A number of people have raised concerns, less about examinations directly and more about the pressure that children are being put under on a daily basis. Some of that comes from schools. They are worried about parents suing them etc, so they have taken a view that they have to provide evidence of the assessment that they produce. That has led to undue pressure being placed on children. <BR /> <BR />There has been a range of mitigations; some are driven by health and some will reduce the level of assessment. On a number of occasions, we have enabled a unit to be removed, particularly from GCSEs. It can be that up to 40% of a GCSE is not assessed.”
“It is entirely my position to ensure that exams take place. Nobody has a crystal ball and can say what position we will be in in a number of months. As even the Prime Minister indicated, there are still some difficult days ahead, albeit the overall position is improving. Exams represent the fairest route by which people can be judged entirely on their own merits. However, there have to be adaptations to this year's examinations because of the disruption that pupils have had and the fact that they have not necessarily been on a level playing field. The reality is that there is no perfect solution. It is noticeable that all jurisdictions are effectively doing exams by one means or another. Even if at least one of them is not saying that it is doing exams, it is doing exams by a different nomenclature.”
“While that may be a particular focus this year, it is not unique to this year. There will be a number of occasions in a normal year when pupils are not able to sit a particular paper — they are ill, perhaps, or disrupted in some shape or form. Those contingencies and what provision is put in place will need to be thought through. We will put in place a series of other adaptations. I hope to bring further clarity very shortly.”
“We have tasked CCEA with looking at optionality, which would give greater choice to students when they are taking it. It is also about what contingencies will be put in place.”
“I have indicated that the exams will go ahead. It is important. There has been discussion — sometimes genuine; sometimes false — around when I will give certainty. The certainty is that the exams will take place. One of the by-products of all this is a genuine concern that has been raised that some schools that are concerned that exams will not take place are over-testing their pupils daily. That is negative. Schools should operate as normally as possible and should not place undue strain. One of the concerns with regard to the maintenance of exams is that we do not reach a situation where, if exams are abandoned, pupils are put under a seven-month microscope, effectively, where every assignment and action that they take is highly pressurised. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right. That is why we are looking at a range of adaptations.”
“<BR /> <BR />In these uncertain times, the familiarity with the exam system provides greater certainty as learners know what they are working towards and how it is awarded. Additionally, when looking at the wider implications of examinations, we have to be careful that our students in Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged between one another. It will not simply be a question of what is done in CCEA, because a number of students, particularly at A level, will carry out examinations from boards outside Northern Ireland. Their qualifications must be seen as robust, portable and comparable to those of their counterparts in neighbouring jurisdictions.”
“I thank the Members for their questions. As the Principal Deputy Speaker said, I will answer all three together. <BR /> <BR />It is my priority that examinations to award Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) qualifications should go ahead as planned in 2021. I have already announced a number of adaptations to CCEA qualifications, including the omission of assessments for whole units for most GCSEs and health-related adaptations for AS and A levels. However, I have also said that I will keep the situation under review. My officials have been working with CCEA to develop a range of further mitigations and contingencies to respond to the fluid public health situation. That work is at an advanced stage, and I hope to provide more information very soon.”
“It is rare that any development proposal will be entirely uncontroversial in its nature, apart from, perhaps, a minor indication regarding school numbers. Any decision on a school will have a ripple effect across the board.”
“We look at the impact on surrounding schools. It is not simply about the sustainability of the schools. The key focus is on the direct education of the young people. If a school was transforming, for example, or if there was a merger or closure, it is about what the implications will be for the local children. Any school will look at the wider implications for nearby schools. As part of the process, a grid of nearby schools is highlighted. Within that is the distance from the school, and it is broken down by sector and the number of children there. All factors are taken into account, but the overriding considerations are the broader educational implications for those children and what is sustainable.”
“The Member will forgive me, but I do not know how much he is aware, directly, of the process. Development proposals, while they will be initiated by different bodies and brought forward, ultimately will come down a legal decision that has to be made by the Department and, where there is a Minister, by the Minister directly. Therefore, I am duty-bound, ahead of any decision on a development proposal, to make no comment at all on the merits of that case, either for or against that proposal. <BR /> <BR />While all factors will be borne in mind with regard to the situation in Seaview and Carrick, I will have to judge all those factors when they come to me. I cannot comment on, for instance, the distance between existing schools at present. Obviously, all factors will be taken into account before there is a decision.”
“However, we are now in a position where this can restart, and an extraordinary meeting of the area planning steering group was held on 21 October and a decision taken formally to resume all area planning operations and structures from that date. <BR /> <BR />The Department has extended the statutory objection period — objection can be letters both of support and of opposition — for affected DPs to provide a full two-month consultation outside the suspension period. The revised closing dates for the transformation proposals was 9 November 2020. Work on the assessment of the proposals has recommenced, and decisions on the DPs will be made as soon as possible.”
“Development proposals (DPs) for transformation to controlled integrated status for two mid- and east Antrim schools were published on 26 March. They were DP 645 Carrickfergus Central Primary, where the proposal was to transform to controlled integrated status with effect from 1 September 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter, and DP 648, which is Seaview Primary School, to transform to controlled integrated status, again with effect from 1 September 2021 or soon after. <BR /> <BR />Area planning activity was paused, due to COVID, on 3 April 2020, with the exception of special education provision in mainstream and special school settings, so that all resources, including staff, could be redeployed in the Department’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence, the progression of DPs has been delayed.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is also the case that, because of the pressure on places in Bangor across the board, even at primary sector level, there is no question of displacement that will create problems, largely speaking, elsewhere, because there is really not much, if any, spare capacity in the system.”
“It is natural that people see the history tied up with a particular site when a school is moving to a different location. As I indicated, if we were to provide a neighbourhood-specific site for every school that would not be an appropriate way of dealing with it. It is perfectly natural, and I suspect that most people, if they are linked with a particular school, will have a particular emphasis on its location. As the Member mentioned, the project board and the governors have accepted it. There is also, as I have indicated, a wider commitment in terms of a business case and what is provided to the Treasury in relation to it.”
“The Member should also be aware that projects funded by Fresh Start capital require Treasury sign-off, so it is not simply a matter of what the Department feels and, indeed, is about providing a situation that gives best value for money. <BR /> <BR />Thirdly, looking at integrated education more broadly, there will be more room for the school at its new site. So if, for instance, an additional unit needed to be added to the school, there would be an opportunity for that to happen at a future point, whereas accommodation space at the Bangor Central site, which I am very familiar with, is much more limited. All those factors need to be considered. I am happy to meet the Member to discuss those, but she should be aware that the decision on location has been taken.”
“I am always happy to meet the Member. I have met some interested parties on this. There was a project board for each of the Fresh Start projects, and that involved the school directly. Consultation and discussion took place. If the issue is about the location, we should remember that there are at least three separate issues on that. First, the statutory duty on the Department is to integrated education, not to a specific site or location. Therefore, when looking at this, it is about what is in the best interests of the sector as a whole. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, from the point of view of a business case and public costs, this has a considerable difference from simply building on site at the current location.”
“If the Member is talking about transport, there is an entitlement for free school transport to be provided if children live beyond a certain distance from their school. It should be said that, because Bangor Central Integrated Primary School is the one integrated primary school in Bangor, it does draw from a fairly wide catchment area. <BR /> <BR />As the Member will be aware from the response to the question for written answer that he submitted, the two main wards in the centre of Bangor represent about a third of the pupils who go to Bangor Central, with the other two thirds coming from outside that area. To some extent, the new build will shift, perhaps, the emphasis or the location, but, as happens on all occasions, any movement that children need to make will be catered for.”
“<BR /> <BR />In July 2020, the Education Authority (EA) appointed an integrated consultant team to undertake the design, and that work is now in the early stages of the design process. When completed, the new facilities will enhance the provision of integrated education in the north Down area and support the future growth of the sector.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Through Fresh Start funding, my Department is delivering a hugely significant capital investment of almost £10 million in Bangor Central Integrated Primary School. The business case was approved by the Department in July 2020 and identified the preferred option of a new-build school on a new site on the Balloo Road in Bangor. The project will provide a brand new single-storey school with modern facilities, fully compliant with my Department’s school building handbook. The school will be built on a new site 1·7 miles from the existing school in an easily accessible part of the town, with sufficient room for future expansion. The construction work will be able to take place without causing any disruption to the ongoing operation of the school.”
“Without wishing to upset others in the House, I will use the expression, "The education panel has not gone away, you know". The panel is continuing to receive submissions on underachievement. The specific issue of transfer from primary to post-primary is focusing largely on the wider review of education. I have signed off on the draft terms of reference going to the Education Committee. They still have to go through the Executive, which is probably the best place for them to go. On underachievement, there is always a danger that the media will focus on what happens at the age of 11, when, actually, a lot of the lessons are really about what happens much before that.”
“As with a lot of things in meeting the challenges of COVID, there is rarely a solution that produces something so virtuous that it does not also create complications.”
“There is direct Public Health Agency (PHA) advice on the maximum ventilation that can be provided. Schools have to apply this sensibly. I have been contacted by parents asking why windows are open. They are open to create ventilation, but schools will also have to adapt. For example, they will have to change how they look at school uniforms and consider allowing extra layers of clothing. There have to be common-sense solutions. <BR /> <BR />The money being made available to schools will meet a range of issues. It is not hypothecated to say, "You need to spend this in a particular way". Schools are given a degree of freedom. There is a concern that high levels of ventilation will have the knock-on effect of additional colds or whatever.”
“I have given an indication of the number of school staff working remotely. I do not, however, have figures directly to hand for what is happening in the broader process with, for instance, educational psychologists and those working in health. What I will say is that, from my experience of having seen some special schools, there is a critical intervention for face-to-face teaching. That is of benefit throughout the system, but it is particularly pertinent for those with special educational needs.”
“As I indicated, the assessment process figures were very big previously, but we have seen a reduction. There has, for example, been an improvement, particularly between June and September, in meeting the statutory assessment period. There is also provision, as I indicated, for those at the far end of the scale who have been waiting for a very long time. Over the period of a year, we have seen that number come down from 107 who were waiting 80 weeks or more down to zero. It is part of an overall process. There is no doubt that there was some disruption to direct assessments, particularly during the spring term. Again, in society as a whole, there were barriers that made people feel uncertain about what could and could not be done. Indeed, the lines of communication probably were not as strong as they would be under normal circumstances.”
“That is on the academic side. <BR /> <BR />Additional money will shortly be distributed for specific support, in response to COVID, for mental health and well-being, beyond that which would be provided under normal circumstances. It is about having a healthy mind, from a mental health and an academic point of view. It is about marrying the two.”
“As I said, we are constantly exploring what direct digital devices are needed. So far, the Executive have agreed a package of £12 million, which has gone into the programme to allow for catch-up. There was money for a number of smaller initiatives over the summer, but the main one was the Engage programme, for which there was £11·2 million. That will take us up to the end of March next year, and we as a Department will need to bid for around £4 million or £5 million to complete the project by June. That will have positive spin-offs not simply through what is there for pupils but by providing some additional opportunities for, for instance, substitute teachers who are on the list to be able to provide that direct level of intervention. Schools have been given the opportunity to apply that money where they decide that it is best placed.”
“That is why my colleague the Economy Minister is rolling out Project Stratum to try to ensure that broadband width is escalated in those areas in order to make sure that we are marrying the two.”
“On the level of support — obviously, we had a three-stage process — as of 31 October, about 8,300 devices had been given out directly. In addition to that, the EA obtained a number of Mi-Fi devices, with built-in data allowances, and we have worked closely with BT on that. There are roughly 3,000 devices in the system that we are able to draw down on, but we have indicated that, if there is a need for further devices this year, we will look to DOF to see whether any additional capital can be drawn down. <BR /> <BR />The focus has effectively been on a range of groups, particularly those who are at a socio-economic disadvantage. The level of connectivity is also critical. You can have all the devices in the world, but they cannot be used effectively, particularly in some rural areas, until connectivity has been rolled out.”
“For instance, while there have been bespoke summer schemes, the ability to have those as wide as they ideally should be has been limited a little bit by COVID. Hopefully, again, we will move to a situation in which we move away from that. However, the work, particularly, of the youth sector in this is critical, and I pay tribute to the hard work that it has done throughout this. Sometimes, it is not as well recognised, perhaps, as what is there in the more formal education system.”
“A lot of good work has been done on that, particularly by third parties. Tackling the absolute immediate issue will be about the pure issue of holiday hunger and what level of support needs to be provided there. In addition to that, particularly on the academic side, while there has been a focus, for instance, on support for academic catch-up during term time, there was investment, first, in a number of initiatives over the summer this year. Through Youth Services, a range of bespoke interventions have taken place. One area where there has maybe been a little bit of constraint in doing some of the direct help is that there has been a limit on what can be done directly through youth activity during COVID.”
“Therefore, there will probably be a higher cost per week, but I think that there is a strong commitment from the Executive to tackle the issue, and, again, I suspect that we will be ahead of the curve in comparison with Westminster.”
“During the recent Halloween break, we agreed to support the payment for across both weeks. That position is similar to what was adopted when schools were effectively, more or less, not meeting face to face during the March-to-June period and to the provision agreed by the Executive for the summer period. <BR /> <BR />We are scoping out what needs to be done in terms of the cost for the Christmas period and beyond. I think that, given what has happened in the past, the Executive will step up to the mark and provide that level of support. One of the things that needs to be scoped out is an additional level of weekly cost as it is likely, as time moves on, that the numbers of those on, for instance, universal credit will, sadly, increase.”