Paul Givan
Lagan Valley · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“The EA's enhanced support model has been out for consultation. The Member's party is the largest political grouping on the Education Authority, so his party supported the model's being consulted on.”
“Protections around strike action and action short of strike are firmly established in statute for all workers, including teachers. If the Member is referring to the Education Inspections Bill, let me be clear: nothing in that legislation removes or undermines that right.”
“The issue was covered at length at the Education Committee. The position is still not where it ought to be. When I came into office, the position that I inherited was much worse than it is today.”
“It is an area that I have had to navigate, as have many previous Education Ministers. Industrial relations is an area that needs ongoing work. I have outlined how we can address it, but I come back to saying that, when workload was undefined, trade unions struggled to specify the challenge.”
“That is not a fair characterisation. In fact, I was with Justin McCamphill, the leader of NASUWT, at the launch of the curriculum reform, at which he commended me for it and said that he thought that it was good. I have sat in many a meeting with trade union representatives during which they have said, "This is a good initiative.”
“That is exactly why there is a 16-week consultation period, rather than the normal 12 weeks or the minimum eight weeks; to allow the public and teaching profession to very much engage in that curriculum, which I commend to all Members.”
The complete record
Every one of 6,258 lines we hold for Paul Givan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 40 of 126.
“In practice, that means that, while the EA might increase PANs to meet overall need in an area, it will do so irrespective of the session length offered by settings. That provides equity and stability for all, while the standardised session length is rolled out. Settings that have not yet standardised must not be penalised or put at risk in favour of those that have standardised first. The overall aim of providing a funded place for every child whose parents want it must not be jeopardised. <BR /> <BR />I conclude by acknowledging that many settings would prefer a higher PAN allocation than the one that they have received from the EA. If you consider only one preschool setting in isolation, it may seem that there is no real harm in increasing the PAN.”
“It is important to remember that full-time and part-time provision, operating side by side, has been a feature of our system for many years. The situation that is being created by standardisation is not a new one. <BR /> <BR />Nonetheless, it is not surprising that some settings have required extra reassurance. I have received correspondence from settings that are transitioning and are naturally keen to secure as many places as possible and from settings that are part-time and have concerns that they could suffer, if full-time providers are prioritised by the EA. At this time of transition, it is essential that all are treated fairly. The EA has made it clear that settings that have transitioned to full-time provision will not be given preferential treatment in PAN allocations.”
“The EA has written to preschool providers to explain the PAN allocation process in detail. In simple terms, for the majority of settings, the provisional PAN is based on their enrolment in October of the previous year, with adjustments made as necessary to reflect the overall level of demand in an area. The majority of settings have received an indicative PAN allocation that is the same as their enrolment at October 2024. <BR /> <BR />At this stage of the process, the EA has allocated over 22,000 funded places to accommodate 20,636 applications. Therefore, there are sufficient places to accommodate every child. As expected, however, the popularity of full-time provision has led to an overall increase in applications for settings that are transitioning this year.”
“<BR /> <BR />The EA has responsibility for the allocation of funded places to non-statutory preschool providers via the allocation of the pupil allocation number. My Department does not have a role in that process. It is important to remember, however, that providers have a role. All preschool management types are represented on the EA advisory group that determines the PAN allocations, including community and voluntary providers. Their voice is important, and that is why they are involved. <BR /> <BR />In allocating PANs, the EA must match the supply of funded places as closely as possible to the overall level of need. Allocating too few places risks children being unable to access preschool education. Allocating too many risks expensive over-provision and threatening the stability of the programme overall.”
“That is £6·5 million that is now in Northern Ireland parents' pockets as a direct result of a scheme that we introduced only six months ago. When we combine that with tax-free childcare, it is estimated that those working families will have saved over £14 million since September 2024. <BR /> <BR />I am also aware that many childcare providers plan to increase their fees over the coming weeks. In anticipation of that, I have already decided to increase the monthly subsidy cap for the scheme by 10%. Additionally, I will increase the administration payments for participating providers in recognition of their increased operating costs and to ensure that they are not passed on to parents. I am considering what more I can do in the current year, and I will bring proposals to my Executive colleagues when the Budget is agreed.”
“I am delighted to confirm that all 106 settings are on track for September 2025, with even the knives and forks for lunchtime ready and waiting. Not only will full-time preschool provision provide children with the best start in education, it will make a significant contribution to parents' childcare considerations, facilitating arrangements that are more akin to those for primary-school children. That will mean that parents will not incur the cost of full day care, as they would have in the past. <BR /> <BR />That initiative does not stand in isolation. I have also introduced the Northern Ireland childcare subsidy scheme, whereby eligible working parents receive a 15% reduction in their childcare bills. To date, that scheme has provided over £6·5 million of savings for working families.”
“That is a valid point about the stability of the sector, and it has been brought to my attention. The programme also provides the flexibility to have a responsive system in place. As demographics change and birth rates decline, we need to ensure that we can respond. That is what the programme provides for by offering flexibility. I will come to that point in due course. <BR /> <BR />I have approved 106 preschool settings, which will deliver full-time preschool education to over 2,500 more children from September. I have also approved seven statutory settings to voluntarily remove 234 excess places that were placing a strain on the Education budget. My Department and the Education Authority have worked closely with the preschool sector to implement those changes in an incredibly short timescale.”
“In West Tyrone, approximately £235,000 of additional funding has been allocated to non-statutory providers. That also benefited my constituency, where a number of preschool providers that were concerned about the impact of rising costs, one of which was in Moira, sought support. I moved to provide that support. <BR /> <BR />Some Members talked about non-statutory settings being disadvantaged, but the evidence shows that the decision that I took to inject £3·2 million into the sector has very much closed the gap. We have made significant progress, and the intervention that I was able to make was very much welcomed in those settings in my constituency. That was in addition to the £100 one-off payment that went to every setting in August last year.”
“Last year, I made a commitment to use the funding made available by the Executive to help stabilise the sector and support 100 settings to deliver 22·5 hours of preschool education per week to 2,200 additional pupils from September. I have delivered on each of those commitments and more. <BR /> <BR />I have approved significantly increased funding for non-statutory providers, including the largest increase that my Department has ever made in the funding rate, bringing the rate to £2,550 per pupil, which is slightly higher than the rate for part-time statutory nursery units. That investment means that non-statutory providers will receive approximately £3·2 million more in the 2024-25 academic year. For an average setting, 16 funded places will be provided, which represents an extra £8,000.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you. Today's debate is a useful opportunity to provide an update on the provision of a funded preschool education place for every target-age child in Northern Ireland whose parents want one. Thank you, therefore, to the Member who secured the Adjournment debate and to the Members who have contributed. <BR /> <BR />We have a right to be proud of the preschool education programme. Every child in Northern Ireland has access to a year of fully funded, high-quality, curriculum-based education before they enter compulsory education, which, research demonstrates, provides children with the best possible start to their education journey. My aim is to provide every child with 22·5 hours of preschool education per week, which will enhance that even further.”
“The chant "Derek Suffern's blue and white army" rang out, and people made their voices very loud at Ravenhill yesterday. It was a tremendous victory, and one achieved over a number of years. What a legacy it is for the principal, Deborah O'Hare, who retires this year, to leave the school with a victory under her leadership. I pay tribute not just to the school's sporting success but to its healthy mix of academic and sporting activity, which provides a balance for the young people there. I watched the game with Neal Lucas, the chairman of the board of governors — also my brother-in-law — and a former head boy of Wallace High School, and witnessed his pride in seeing the trophy lifted. <BR /> <BR />I say a huge congratulations to everybody who was involved with Wallace High School's becoming the 2025 rugby champions.”
“It was a historic occasion, being the first time that the school has won the trophy outright, because it was shared with the Royal School Armagh when the final was not played during COVID in 2020. <BR /> <BR />The win for the school has filled Lisburn with great pride. Yesterday, people whom I met were speaking about the final before it had been played. There was a great sense of anticipation. In Lisburn, we are proud of Wallace High School. For the proud parents who lived every tackle made by their sons on the pitch, hoping that they would get up again, and who then saw Wallace lift the trophy, there was great relief but also great joy. <BR /> <BR />The victory was many years in the making. I pay tribute to the entire team at Wallace High School, under the leadership of Derek Suffern.”
“As Minister of Education, I say that sport is a huge part of what happens in our schools. Many competitions are run during the school year. For example, Kilkeel High School won the High School Cup treble in hockey — the first time that that has happened — with its girls' under-14, under-16 and under-18 teams each lifting the trophy: no pressure on the boys at the school. St Pat's Maghera has just been mentioned for winning its competition. <BR /> <BR />I will speak about Lagan Valley, my constituency. The Ulster Schools' Cup is one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world, having been founded in 1876. The Wallace High School has competed in six finals, the first of which was in 1989, when the father of yesterday's triumphant captain, Jon Rodgers, captained the school's team. Yesterday, Jon was able to lead the team to victory.”
“We have looked at examples in different countries that have been able to use that expertise, and that mentoring has been really helpful in bringing middle leaders and new leaders to a place where they have more confidence and can share their expertise.”
“That is key to what we are trying to take forward: providing our teachers with that professional support. It is about attracting young people into the initial teaching colleges; what is taught in those establishments; and what professional support they receive throughout the journey of their career. It includes helping to identify those who want to become middle leaders and then senior leaders. How do we ensure that they are supported in developing themselves to take up those positions? Also, how do we secure the support of principals who may be at the end of their career but can impart great knowledge and mentor other principals? How do we harness their expertise?”
“I thank the Member for his comments. The initial appointments were for a year, but that can be subject to review in due course. They are in place, and, again, I very much appreciate the expertise that the panel is able to share with us as it critically reviews the policies that we are developing. What we have been able to get from the panel members has been invaluable. I get far more from them than they get out of me; I can assure the Member of that. They want to be engaged. Internationally renowned educationalists want to impart the knowledge that they have. They have been very willing to be part of that process. <BR /> <BR />I touched on professional teacher learning. Over the next number of weeks, I will be able to provide more detail on what exactly that will look like and how we will deliver on it.”
“I thank the Member for his kind comments about the ambition reflected in the statement. He has raised an issue about EMA funding that does not sit with my Department. I want to make sure, however, that there are no barriers to our children and young people engaging with education. Part of the reason that I introduced the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill was to make sure that no economic barriers are put in place when decisions are being taken about the schools that our children and young people go to at the transfer stage. As we bring legislation to the Executive and then take it through the Assembly, how we put into effect a compulsory requirement to be engaged in some form of education or formal training will need to be considered.”
“It is deeply regrettable that, as a result of the current action, non-compliance is now taking place. I do not think that anybody in here could sustain a position in support of that, and that is why we need to make sure that inspection processes are not frustrated or restrained. When I met the Children's Commissioner recently, he shared my view. Our children have to come first, and inspection is an important part of that.”
“During the period in which we had inspections, following a protracted period of non-compliance for many years, we were able to identify some schools that needed additional support. Child safeguarding issues were also identified, which, Members will rightly feel, should be of significant concern. As a result of inspections, we were able to identify issues, and measures were put in place to address them. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland is an outlier when it comes to non-compliance with inspections. It does not happen in the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales. Inspections are a vital component of any education system. The current inspection process was changed. It was co-designed with the workforce and the trade unions, and the trade unions welcomed the change.”
“I thank the Member for his kind comments. In my statement, I highlighted the importance of inspection. It allows us to identify best practice, and there are some really good examples of best practice in Northern Ireland. Part of the issue with consistency of delivery in every school is that there are schools that are performing well and other schools that are performing poorly. Some of those schools, however, have a similar intake of children, including those from a more socially disadvantaged background. The question is this: why do schools with a similar pupil profile have different educational outcomes? <BR /> <BR />Our inspection regime allows us to get that information, but it also allows us to identify schools that require support.”
“The strategy is further evidence of my commitment to supporting our education system, our children and young people and our teachers.”
“I thank the Member for his comments and his open view on the strategy. We need to come at it with that fresh perspective and engage on the issues from an evidence-based perspective. That is welcomed. There will be some areas on which we may disagree, but I think that we can all agree on the direction of travel that has been outlined. <BR /> <BR />It is a high-level strategy, and, as we identify issues that may require referral to the Executive, we will follow the normal processes. I have not been restrained as a Minister by not having a Programme for Government, nor will my ambition to drive forward education in the areas that are not mentioned in the Programme for Government be restrained. I will continue to do that.”
“I am determined to drive it forward, and so, over the coming weeks, I will make a series of important announcements on assessment, professional learning, literacy and numeracy and school improvement. We will also publish a costed implementation plan to support the delivery of the strategy over the next number of years. That plan will identify lead organisations, delivery mechanisms and the funding required to put the strategy in place.”
“I thank the Member for his comments. Like many of my colleagues, he has had me visit a number of schools in his constituency. He also organised for me to meet the north Belfast principals' forum, so I know that his personal commitment to supporting our education system is real. That is reflected in comments from the principals in his constituency about his work in that area. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right about the ambitious nature of the strategy. It is ambitious, but it should be, because it is about our children and young people. They deserve the very best opportunity to succeed in life, so the strategy has to be ambitious, and it has to be driven forward.”
“I referenced the importance of that. We have the RAISE programme, which will be important. In the areas in which it will operate, that programme will help to provide a whole-community response to supporting our children and young people.”
“I thank the Member for his comments and questions. He is absolutely right: when it comes to education, the most appropriate time is that spent in a school setting, but a wider contribution needs to be made and not just by parents. <BR /> <BR />All the evidence shows that parental engagement is vital to how young people engage with our education system. We looked at the approach that has been taken in London of engaging parents. That has helped to drive up parents' aspirations for what they want their young people to become as well as their engagement on school attendance and the amount of homework that is carried out. <BR /> <BR />Parents are critical to what we do, but there is also the wider community response. There are organisations that can help our children and young people outside the school setting.”
“In my statement, I indicated that I have also established two principal panels, because we have expertise in Northern Ireland as well. We have a panel made up of principals from primary and post-primary schools. They can provide us with real-time information about how the strategy would work in schools and what its impact would be. Their expertise will be critical to informing the policy and, when giving operational effect to what we are trying to do, ensuring that it is very much grounded in what will work in Northern Ireland.”
“The new panel brings together leading global educators to provide strategic insight, advice and guidance. They provide us with valuable insights, drawing on best practice, research and innovations from around the world, and I am deeply indebted to them for agreeing to be part of the panel. They have been able to review the strategy, and they have informed it. We are fortunate to have their global expertise.”
“We also have Daisy Christodoulou, a renowned educational author and founder of No More Marking, a company that works closely with schools in the UK, Australia and the USA to develop new approaches on assessment; Nina Hood, a New Zealand-based educationalist who is academic director of The Teachers' Institute, a new teacher training organisation; and Jennifer Buckingham, executive director of the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation in the New South Wales Department of Education and a well-known educational author.”
“The panel is made up of the following: Tim Oates, who was a director of assessment, research and development at Cambridge University Press and Assessment; Christine Counsell, a leading expert in curriculum development and a former director of the Inspiration Trust; Harold Hislop, a former chief inspector in the Republic of Ireland and the current adjunct professor at Dublin City University’s Institute of Education; Hardip Begol, a former director of assessment, curriculum and qualifications at the Department of Education in England and currently a board member of Ofqual and non-executive director at Oak National Academy.”
“I thank the Member for his very kind comments. They are appreciated. I am only supported by excellent people within my Department. There has been a team involved in this, led by Dr Suzanne Kingon, that is driving forward the agenda that I have. I can only do what I do with the best people around me. It is the same in our schools; they can only be taken forward with the principals leading and the best people around them. Your appreciation for the work that I am doing is reflective of the people around me, so thank you for that. <BR /> <BR />The international ministerial advisory panel, as I have said, is made up of exceptional individuals with international expertise to support the transformation of our education system.”
“Whether it is children with dyslexia, dyspraxia or other additional needs, we should be striving to ensure that they all get the best possible education, in every setting and from every teacher. That is very much what is driving the ambition that I have for our schools and young people.”
“I thank the Member for welcoming the statement and for her question. What we have to view within our society is that every single child can do well. We should never tolerate a view that, because you have a particular additional need, you are not going to perform well, or that somebody has an inherent talent or ability to be good at maths or they just so happen to be good at English and that is why they perform well. Every single child can perform well with clear, consistent and explicit teaching that is structured and has a consistency of approach across our schools, with our teachers supported to do that at a consistent level. That will drive up the standards for every child.”
“You can look at Hong Kong and at Macau in China. You can see that, across the world, countries with different kinds of Governments of various shades have gone down that route of a knowledge-rich curriculum. We should not spread ourselves so thinly that schools cover a wide variety of subjects, because then we are only scratching the surface. You need to get into mastering the core subject matter, and once you have mastery of that subject, you will apply that and develop the skills. A knowledge-rich curriculum first develops your skills. That is the best way, as evidence shows at an international level, for us to develop our children and young people, which will benefit our society and also our economy.”
“I look with envy at what has happened in the Republic of Ireland over the past number of years. It has been able to drive up its standards. Northern Ireland has not kept at pace. In fact, we have gone backwards. I look at what has happened in England, where it has been able to drive up its standards. Then, I look at Wales. It has been regressive. Scotland, which introduced its own more skills-based curriculum, has now recognised that there are challenges with that and is looking again at the curriculum that it has been following. <BR /> <BR />Our curriculum was set in 2007. It is right that we should refresh it and look at international best practice from the various countries that apply the knowledge-rich curriculum. You can look at China. Then you can look at Norway, Finland — those Scandinavian countries. Then you can look at Estonia.”
“All the international best practice now shows that a knowledge-rich curriculum is what will achieve the best outcomes for our children and young people. With detailed knowledge of a particular subject, you acquire the skills because you have the confidence to apply that knowledge. We need to embed into the long-term memory of our children and young people the fundamental things such as literacy and numeracy, which are the building blocks of our education system. A knowledge-rich approach is the best way in which to do that. <BR /> <BR />We have been able to track how other countries that do not follow a knowledge-rich curriculum have declined and how those that do are rising up the international performance measures. It is an evidence-based approach. It is not one that should be viewed through the prism of some ideology.”
“There is a clear, well-evidenced plan, but it needs to be resourced. That will be the first priority for my Department. It will be resourced.”
“As I indicated in my statement, that has to be the priority, because the strategy will impact on every child — children of all abilities, right across all our sectors. It is very much the blueprint for my ministerial priorities. That will then align with the departmental priorities, and the resources will align with that. It will be resourced. My Department is developing a costed implementation plan. It will be in the region of £20 million in the next financial year. The majority of that will be to support teachers in their professional learning. To put it into context: we spend almost £3 billion a year on education. The most critical factor in that is our teachers. If we do not invest in our teachers, we are not ensuring the most effective use of £3 billion. That is why it is vital that we put investment into the new TransformED agenda.”
“In Northern Ireland, we provide Baker days and school development days. There are 10 days for that. How do we ensure that we support teachers' professional development during the 10 days that are available, because there has not been the investment to enable schools to do that as effectively as it could be done? How do we ensure that what is provided is consistent across Northern Ireland, so that every school is able to raise its standards?”
“In other jurisdictions, we have identified a proliferation of different providers that offer low-level initial teacher training, which dilutes the quality. We do not have that in Northern Ireland. We have a good system, but there is an opportunity to look at that again to ensure consistency of what is being taught in initial teacher training and, after that, how to get professional development, because that is a lifelong process, and ensure that teachers get that support. <BR /> <BR />A teacher in Singapore gets 100 hours a year to focus on their own professional development. In other jurisdictions, it is a higher number of hours. When it comes to teachers who engage in senior leadership roles, the time that becomes available is significant. Resource is required to provide that support.”
“That speaks to the issue on which we have engaged with the unions. As part of the offer to do with the increase in pay, there was a clear commitment to address workload-related issues. The Department has provided the unions with detail on how we will take that forward. <BR /> <BR />I am very much of the view that I want our teachers to focus on teaching. That is what today's statement is about. It is about placing our teachers at the centre of what we do in our education system. We provide that support. When it comes to initial teacher training, how do we ensure consistency of approach across our training providers? In Northern Ireland, we are fortunate that we have a small number of providers that deliver excellence. We need to make sure that there is consistency.”
“There would be nothing worse than a young person completing a qualification and, at the end of a number of years, not having a pathway into employment, further education or training. Qualifications are an important part of the transformation, so there will be work in that area.”
“I thank the Member for welcoming the document. She touches on an important issue when it comes to qualifications. We have seen an increase in the different types of qualifications that are offered in our schools. That is why I am committed to reviewing qualifications: we need to ensure that, if a young person takes up a qualification, there is a clear pathway of progression either into further education or, indeed, a career. I am concerned about the proliferation of different qualifications. That is why there will be a review of the qualifications that are available in our schools. We need to ensure that the qualifications that are offered align with the needs of our society and provide clear pathways for young people.”
“When you have command of a subject matter, you develop confidence and can then apply that when you are exposed to new ideas. That is very important and is embedded in the new strategy.”
“I thank the Member for the question. The statement rightly highlights the need for our young people to continue not only in education but in training. When that was taken forward in England, there was higher uptake among young people who wanted to continue in education, so fewer people were not engaging in education or some kind of formal training, be it an apprenticeship or training. I have already committed to introducing legislation on that. That is a piece of work that we will take forward in the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />It is vital that we align what we are doing on our curriculum. We are very much looking at that knowledge-rich approach. It is about developing a mastery of the subject matter. That is not necessarily about teaching a lot more; it is about teaching the subject matter in great detail.”
“<BR /> <BR />I published a specific statement in February on special educational needs reform, and there is a delivery plan associated with that. The priority that I have given to special educational needs is evident, which is why there is a stand-alone strategy for it. Today's statement is a high-level strategic document that will be transformative for the education system, and that will benefit every child and young person in all our schools.”
“I thank the Member for that question. During Question Time yesterday, I touched on the role of allied health professionals, particularly in special needs schools. I met the Health Minister, and we have our officials engaging directly with senior officials in the Department of Health, including the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). We are looking at the provision of medical support in special schools. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right: there needs to be more accessibility, because our young people are presenting with much greater levels of medical complexities and not just educational challenges. That requires the Department of Health to be part of the solution as we seek to support children who have special educational needs.”
“That is why I increased the starting salary for new recruits from £23,000 to £30,000, put up pay by over 10% for all our staff last year and why I am supporting a 5·5% pay rise this year. We need to show through what we pay our teaching professionals that they are valued. The highest-performing education systems in the world recognise that through terms and conditions. <BR /> <BR />If we are to recruit the brightest and best young people into the teaching profession, they need to be given appropriate terms and conditions and to be valued by our society. They then need to be supported so that, as they go through their professional development, they continue to develop their skills and can see a clear pathway of progression to become middle school leaders and then principals. We will do that only if we can put the right support in place.”
“Recruitment and retention is one of the key issues highlighted in the document. It is highlighted as an issue in some specific subjects, such as science and technology and design, where there is a challenge, particularly at post-primary level. Having specialist teachers in those areas is key for our young people to get the best support possible in those subjects. Similarly, where you have teacher expertise in the world around us, which is part of the 2007 curriculum, that can be very enriching. If you do not, it is not having the impact that it should. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to recruitment, we need to make sure that our society values the profession highly and that the terms and conditions are appropriate.”
“I thank the Member for his comments. He speaks, rightly, to the curriculum review. That is absolutely important for what we teach and for making sure that the curriculum in Northern Ireland is refreshed and renewed. The last curriculum that we had was in 2007. That was 17 years ago, and the independent review of education noted that the curriculum had not been subject to a refresh and renew process. Therefore, it is timely that we are having a curriculum review, which I commissioned. Lucy Crehan has been carrying out the work on that review, which will make a series of policy recommendations on the purpose, design, specification and implementation of the curriculum. The review is due to report in May, and my officials are already engaging on what the next steps will be.”