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.”
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“In parallel, Irish-medium numeracy assessments have been piloted, and work is under way to develop a bespoke adaptive Irish language literacy assessment. <BR /> <BR />Further bespoke work is under way on the curriculum. A dedicated Irish-medium literacy framework is being commissioned, and progressive curricula for Irish, English and biliteracy will be developed, as well as bespoke immersion guidance, including on curricula adaptations, where needed.”
“Through the £31 million teacher professional learning (TPL) fund, Irish-medium schools are accessing tailored professional learning and development. In addition, the Making Best Practice, Common Practice programme has facilitated research-informed conferences with a focus on areas such as immersion pedagogy and Irish language oracy. Teacher supply is also being supported through a pilot initial teacher education bursary scheme, with dedicated Irish-medium post-primary places from September 2026. <BR /> <BR />Progress has been made on assessment. Interim Key Stage assessment arrangements have been introduced from the 2025-26 school year, with all Irish-medium pupils in years 4, 7 and 10 participating.”
“TransformED is a system-wide reform programme that is designed to address issues common across all sectors of education. In the programme, the distinct and additional requirements of Irish-medium education, particularly as it relates to immersion pedagogy, curriculum design and assessment, are being considered. <BR /> <BR />An experienced Irish-medium practitioner has been appointed as the lead adviser for curriculum reform in order to ensure that immersion-specific considerations are addressed in TransformED. The work will be informed by engagement with key Irish-medium stakeholders, including Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG), as well as by learning from immersion education in other jurisdictions. <BR /> <BR />Practical support for Irish-medium schools is already in place.”
“Working with NICIE, we have published the strategy and are taking it forward. I engage regularly with NICIE and have met its representatives on multiple occasions, including in the schools that I have taken forward. Rowandale Integrated Primary School in my constituency will soon be officially opened, and I look forward to attending that opening. There is also Priory Integrated College in Holywood, which I moved forward. I took the decision to approve funding for that integrated school, and I will continue to work with the integrated sector as it seeks to provide the best possible education for our young people.”
“That is significantly higher than their share of the overall school population and suggests that their views may carry disproportionate weight in the headline findings unless fully corrected through weighting. In that context, although the survey provides useful insight into parental preference, enrolment figures remain a more robust indicator of realised demand in the system as it currently operates.”
“It is correct to say that the survey results need to be understood in their full context, as they can give a different impression from that of standard population surveys. The survey reports that 31·2% of parents, regardless of their first preference, said that they would have preferred their child to be educated at an integrated school. That reflects a stated or counterfactual preference rather than observed behaviour. That can be contrasted with first-preference admissions of around 8% at primary and 10% at post-primary, which represents realised choices within the constraints of the current system. <BR /> <BR />It is also important to note that the survey sample appears to over-represent those who have chosen integrated education, with 32·9% of respondents coming from that group.”
“He should then reflect on the fact that this Minister takes forward decisions, including on the school that his family member attends, enabling it to build a new school.”
“The court ruled that my decision on integrated education in those Bangor schools was right and that Members in the House were wrong. You were wrong when you voted through legislation that actually undermines integrated education. The Member is wrong about the school that he just referenced. I did not take money away from the school that his child goes to; I gave money to that school so that it could be built. The Member might want to set the record straight: which Minister approved that school and gave it the go-ahead? It was this Minister. There is nothing from the Member. There is no appreciation that I took forward the school that, as he has referenced on numerous occasions, a member of his family attends. If the Member is going to make accusations, I ask that they be accurate.”
“There have been new builds, bursaries dedicated to them and protections in the Education and Training Inspectorate so that there are no reductions. I have done more for Irish-medium education than a Sinn Féin Minister ever has.”
“The Member is categorically wrong about the Department's support for integrated education. I have provided pathways and frameworks for schools to become integrated. I have approved schools to become integrated. I challenge the Member: how many schools from the Catholic maintained sector has she engaged with about becoming integrated? How many schools in her constituency has she engaged with about becoming integrated? Out of over 70 schools, I can tell you how many such schools have transformed: one. The sector that overwhelmingly supports integrated education and transforms is the controlled sector. I look forward to seeing Members from Sinn Féin, the SDLP and other parties actively encouraging schools in their constituencies in that respect. <BR /> <BR />My track record in supporting Irish-medium schools is clear.”
“Future demand reports will be important in strengthening that evidence base over time. <BR /> <BR />The report will provide valuable insight for my Department, the Education Authority (EA) and the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE). I expect that they will prioritise areas where the data indicates sustained and clearly evidenced demand. That will include assessing the viability of expansion, supporting proposals where appropriate and ensuring alignment with area planning and financial sustainability considerations.”
“The data indicates that demand is uneven and highly localised, with pressure evident in a small number of schools and areas rather than across the system as a whole. The oversubscription of individual schools may reflect parental preference for particular institutions, which may be influenced by factors such as admissions criteria, school reputation and accessibility. That reinforces the fact that oversubscription alone is not a reliable indicator of wider system demand. <BR /> <BR />Similarly, the existence of geographic gaps in provision does not in itself demonstrate unmet demand. However, as per other aspects of the report, that will inform areas of interest in which to focus further exploration in the pursuit of robust and consistent supporting evidence to inform decisions.”
“With your permission, Deputy Speaker, I will answer questions 1 and 7 together. <BR /> <BR />My Department published the 'Integrated Education Demand: Evidence, Insights, and Limitations' report in April 2026 as part of the statutory arrangements under the Integrated Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. I am clear in my commitment to meet the obligations that are set out in the Act. I also recognise the strong interest from some parents and communities in accessing integrated education, and I remain supportive of parental preference in education. <BR /> <BR />I have considered the findings carefully. At system level, there are more approved places than first-preference applications at both primary and post-primary level.”
“I will continue to ensure that my Department and employing authorities look creatively and consistently at ways to reduce teacher and school leader workload in every action that they take. My flagship reform programme, TransformED, offers significant opportunities for workload reduction. We are moving into the implementation stage, which will make it a reality.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have worked tirelessly to provide equitable and significant pay offers to ensure that our teachers are fairly remunerated for the excellent and tireless work that they do in our classrooms every day. I have invested in attracting and retaining that critical workforce, providing bursaries for hard-to-fill subject areas. Since taking up office, I have raised the starting salary of a teacher by a third. I have prioritised investment in professional development from initial teacher training to the development of new and experienced school leaders. I commissioned an independent review of teacher workload and have published a comprehensive action plan that aims decisively to reduce teacher workload.”
“This has nothing — I mean absolutely nothing — to do with the right to strike: that right remains untouched. Nor does it affect the right to take action short of strike, which also continues. It is about one thing only: removing child protection and inspection from the arena of industrial leverage. Obstructing a statutory, independent process designed to protect our most vulnerable young people cannot be considered as working to rule; nor can it be considered acceptable conduct. It should never have featured in directives from unions to an ethical and dedicated profession that is committed to reflecting on its practice and to continuous improvement. Such directives damage the teaching profession.”
“It is also essential in evaluating provision for children with special educational needs, an area of exponentially growing demand and unaffordable provision. In short, effective inspection is not optional: it is indispensable. Yet the reality in Northern Ireland is that our legislative framework contains a critical gap, unlike every other jurisdiction across these islands. <BR /> <BR />We do not have clear legal provision to ensure cooperation with inspection. While current legislation requires schools to be open to inspection, it does not explicitly require cooperation. Some have argued that the present arrangements are already sufficient to require inspection, but that ambiguity has been exploited, allowing inspection to be drawn into industrial action and significantly impeded for over a decade.”
“It also plays a critical role in shaping policy and targeting resources. Through school inspections and wider thematic work, the Education and Training Inspectorate provides a cross-sectional evaluation of our system. It can identify trends and phase insights, such as oracy challenges in preschool and Foundation Stage, dive more deeply into the delivery of specific parts of the curriculum, evaluate the impact of new education initiatives and assess the services that support our schools. It provides the evidence that we rely on to take informed decisions and to support where that support is most needed. Above all, inspection protects our most vulnerable children. It is the only independent mechanism that we have to assess safeguarding arrangements in schools and to ensure that those arrangements keep pace with evolving risks.”
“The public rightly expects assurance that that investment is delivering high-quality education and that we are keeping children safe. When our education system falls short, the consequences extend far beyond the classroom. There are fundamental links between poor educational outcomes and unemployment and to greater demands on our health system, our benefits system and our criminal justice system. There are exponentially rising costs to society when education goes wrong. The cost of education failure is profound and far-reaching. Inspection is central to preventing that failure. It not only provides assurance but actively drives improvement by identifying effective practice, supporting schools to raise standards and ensuring that learning from the best is shared across the system.”
“That is the reality. Without inspection, those voices are not heard, those risks remain hidden and those children remain vulnerable. Without inspection, risk does not merely increase; it becomes unavoidable that schools that require support may not be identified and that children may remain in environments where vulnerabilities go unseen. We know from bitter experience where that can lead. <BR /> <BR />It has taken time to reach this point, but I am pleased that we can now have an open and transparent public discussion on legislation that goes to the heart of our approach to education. Inspection is fundamental. It is a cornerstone of every effective education system and an essential safeguard of the significant public investment that we make — over £3 billion each year — to give every child the best possible start in life.”
“In the five years between 2020 and May 2025, that figure fell to just eight schools. That is not progress or improvement; it should be a warning sign. Since full inspection has resumed, serious safeguarding failures have once again been identified and schools have been found to have significant shortcomings in child protection provision. In those cases, ETI acted immediately, triggering intervention by the Child Protection Support Service (CPSS) and conducting follow-up inspections within six weeks. In other schools, inspectors identified that child protection training had lapsed, putting pupils at risk and requiring urgent corrective action. Perhaps most powerfully of all, pupil questionnaires revealed that some children did not feel safe in school, and it was only through inspection that support could be put in place.”
“In order to properly evaluate safeguarding, inspectors must hear directly from pupils and parents through questionnaires, observe classroom interactions, speak with designated teachers and governors, analyse pastoral data and critically examine how policies operate in reality, not just on paper. Under action short of strike, almost none of that was possible. Only a consistent, unimpeded programme of inspection can provide the necessary assurances that unknown safeguarding issues are being identified and that robust child protection arrangements are in place in our schools. <BR /> <BR />The facts are deeply troubling. The Northern Ireland Audit Office reported that, in the three years prior to action short of strike, the ETI identified 37 schools where child protection arrangements were unsatisfactory.”
“Often, questionnaires have not been issued to pupils and parents, and their voice has not been heard. <BR /> <BR />ETI is the only organisation that inspects child protection arrangements. Sinn Féin and trade unions have contended that safeguarding was fully protected during action short of strike: that is, quite simply, not true. From 2017, the unions permitted the sharing of safeguarding documentation only, but that is not sufficient. Read the inspection reports. Time and again, they state that, during that period, ETI was unable to fully evaluate the outworking of safeguarding arrangements.”
“With the return of inspection, 10 schools have been identified as needing sustained external support through formal intervention processes. Those were the first schools to enter formal intervention and receive external support in the eight years since 2017. By way of comparison, in the eight academic years before 2017, 80 schools received support. Thirteen other schools are in follow-up and receiving support, and their improvement will be evaluated through progress inspection. What does it mean when inspection is obstructed or cooperation is withheld? To be clear, it means that there is no classroom observation of teaching and learning. Lesson plans, pupil data and individual learning materials are not shared. Staff have refused to meet inspectors, preventing evaluation of their training and awareness and understanding of key policies.”
“Until action short of strike was suspended last year, three quarters of ETI inspections in the past eight academic years had been impacted on by action short of strike. To be clear, in those cases, that disruption means that the ETI is unable to provide assurance to parents, carers, school communities and all stakeholders on the quality of education that is being delivered. It also means that, in every one of those cases, the ETI has been unable to fully evaluate child protection and wider safeguarding arrangements, which are a core and critical protection for children. As a result of action short of strike, many schools have gone without meaningful inspection and, therefore, external scrutiny. That support is essential to driving improvement to make sure that children are safe and are making progress in their learning.”
“My Department's efforts to reach a negotiated agreement have met with silence from the trade unions. A draft agreement prepared back in November 2025 remains unsigned and unanswered. <BR /> <BR />Quite simply, in any scenario other than with this legislation, the refusal to participate in inspections will remain a feature of our education system. As in every other jurisdiction across the British Isles, the proposed separate statutory requirement is the only realistic and effective solution. We need a legal framework for inspection that guarantees consistent, independent oversight of educational quality, child protection and safeguarding that is fit for purpose and practicable. That is not just my view; it is the view of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO), which highlighted the significant cumulative impact of action short of strike.”
“All efforts at negotiation to have inspection excluded from action short of strike have been unsuccessful, including in January 2025, when there were no outstanding areas of disagreement between the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) and the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council (NITC). At a time when the new model of inspection had been widely welcomed by stakeholders, inspection was included in action short of strike. If one union includes inspection, we have seen time and time again that the others are under pressure immediately to do likewise; otherwise, in a competitive market, they lose members. The trade union response to the inspection consultation clearly stated that they objected to any proposal to remove inspection from the arena of industrial action. That now seems to be Sinn Féin's position as well.”
“Is it any wonder that Sinn Féin wants to subcontract plans for a united Ireland to a citizens' assembly, given that it cannot even establish a consistent policy on inspection? How stupid do the Sinn Féin Members think teachers are? <BR /> <BR />The Bill is one of the most important opportunities that we have in the mandate to make a lasting difference to education. It is a direct result of the actions short of strike over the past decade. My officials have set out the need for legislation clearly and consistently at the Education Committee. I regret the fact that legislation is, clearly, the only way to address the matter.”
“I know that it is sometimes said that Sinn Féin has one policy north of the border and another in the South, but holding two conflicting policies in Northern Ireland at the same time has to be a first. Perhaps Sinn Féin intends to fight the next election in the Republic on a platform of repealing inspection legislation in the South; that would be consistent. I can see that party's slogan for the safeguarding of children: "See no evil, hear no evil". Turning a blind eye to failing schools and prioritising the interests of adults over children is a reprehensible policy that is only made worse by Sinn Féin now posing as the defenders of teachers and opposing a Bill that it previously endorsed.”
“I was therefore more than a little surprised to read on social media that Sinn Féin, having sought the changes that I brought forward and endorsed the legislation at the Executive, intends to oppose that same legislation.”
“<BR /> <BR />However, we operate in a system where political consensus must be achieved for legislation to progress, so I was prepared to look again at the arrangements. As a result, I brought proposals in which there would be no prosecution, but non-cooperation would constitute unacceptable professional conduct. While unique in these islands as a possible way forward, I was grateful that that approach commanded unanimous support from my Executive colleagues and was agreed for introduction. I want to put on record my appreciation of their support at the Executive.”
“<BR /> <BR />The first draft of the Bill included provisions that made obstruction of inspection an offence, as in other jurisdictions. That was not, as some suggest, an attempt to criminalise teachers any more than a 30 mph sign is an attempt to criminalise motorists; it is to reflect the fact that inspection is not a voluntary process. The number of prosecutions in the history of the same provisions in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland: zero. What that tells us is important. The law is not there to punish; it is there to set a clear expectation. Instead, their inspectors continued to inspect schools and identify safeguarding issues and schools that needed improvement whilst the quality of our children's education was left to chance.”
“Given that the arrangements would simply bring education into line with basic standards of oversight that we expect elsewhere in society, I hoped that the Bill could be passed in relatively short order. <BR /> <BR />Clearly, the trade unions seek leverage in industrial relations negotiations, and they would be reluctant to undermine their position, but that is not a position that could credibly be supported by any elected representative. If there has been a clamour to make inspection of nursing homes or prisons a voluntary process, I must have missed it. Surely the safeguarding of our children and the quality of their education is at least as important as other walks of life that are subject to inspection.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to open the Second Stage debate on this critical Bill. It has been a long time coming. Indeed, I first submitted an inspection paper to the Executive as far back as November 2024, and, as far back as December 2023, the independent review of education recommended that it should be an offence to wilfully obstruct any person authorised to make an inspection. As those recommendations aligned fully with established arrangements in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland and followed a decade of disruption to school inspections, I assumed that they would not be politically contentious.”
“<BR /> <BR />In closing, I recognise that this is a demanding and uncertain time for many across our education system. Change, even when it is necessary and well-intentioned, can feel unsettling, particularly when it affects roles and workloads. It is right that we acknowledge that reality. We must also be realistic that meaningful change takes time. It cannot, and should not, happen overnight. However, I am confident that SENCOs will begin to see that their voices are being heard, that their concerns are being taken seriously and that positive change is beginning to take shape as a result.”
“I apologise to the Member who is seeking to make an intervention. I want to close out my remarks. If I have time, I will bring him back in. <BR /> <BR />The approaches have been developed collaboratively, working closely with parents and the staff who know their schools and pupils best. Crucially, they are working. We must learn from that success and ensure that effective practice is shared and implemented more widely, including in the school in which the Member said it was not happening. Over the coming years, wider roll-out will proceed on a phased and responsive basis, aligned to individual school readiness and designed to ensure that schools, staff and parents are given sufficient time and support to embed change effectively and sustainably.”
“It meant moving away from the default position of direct one-to-one support, and it was about providing better support for the whole school and not just in one particular way. It speaks to the challenge when others would say that retaining the status quo is the best way, when we already know that 150 schools are taking forward alternative approaches to address the issue, and the Boys' Model School is one of them.”
“I assure Members that every change that is being made is firmly grounded in the best interests of children and young people, and it will be evidence-based. It will deliver clear and measurable improvement, and it will remain fully compliant within the legal framework. <BR /> <BR />Therefore, while the implementation of the enhanced support model is planned to commence in September 2026, it will be initially taken forward with 150 schools that we know are already using alternative models of support. The Member for North Belfast Nuala McAllister referred to the Boys' Model School, which is one of those schools. She, rightly, highlighted how the school had been pioneering when it changed the way in which it supported children with special educational needs.”
“It should not be insurmountable, and that is why the meeting is being organised. We are more than happy to take on board those concerns. However, we know that the status quo is failing to deliver consistently good outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs. I do not believe that Members can, in good conscience, argue for change while simultaneously resisting the reforms that are required to deliver it. The number of children with a statement of SEN is increasing year-on-year, and Members know that. The funding requirement is growing by £5 million every month, and that is also not sustainable, particularly when we know that there are better ways to deliver support.”
“We will meet the Children's Law Centre, and we will provide the clarity, but the claim that it made is not accurate, and the meeting will help to clarify that. If there are other concerns that my officials and the EA can help address for the Children's Law Centre, we are more than happy to do that.”
“I can assure the Member that the Department and the EA will meet the Children's Law Centre. They are arranging to meet in the coming weeks, and that will help to address the concerns that the Children's Law Centre raised. It will also ensure that there is a shared and accurate understanding of the enhanced support model. However, the Children's Law Centre's claims that the legal duties are being transferred to schools as a result of the new model are not correct. The legal responsibility for the delivery of special educational needs provision will continue to rest with the Education Authority, and any changes to the provision will be clearly and transparently set out in a statement of special educational needs.”
“Sinéad McLaughlin challenged me at the very end of her contribution when she said that it is action that is needed. That is contrary to calling for a pause in the process. Mr Sheehan wants me to give way.”
“Some Members have called for a pause in the programme of SEN reform, yet some of the same voices that have asked for a pause frequently argue that progress on SEN reform is too slow. The two positions cannot be reconciled.”
“In other settings, it may mean developing a wider skilled team that is trained across the five areas of special educational needs so that the SENCO is properly supported and able to balance leadership responsibilities and some teaching commitment. That flexible approach recognises the diversity of school contexts while ensuring that SENCOs are given the support that they need to carry out their role effectively. <BR /> <BR />The EA is consulting on the enhanced support model. It is essential that that work be shaped by the voices of those with lived experience. That means listening carefully to parents and carers, to children and young people and to those working every day in our schools.”
“The next phase will involve a comprehensive co-design process with SENCOs themselves, which will ensure that the programme is firmly grounded in lived experience and delivers practically meaningful training that responds directly to the challenges that they face. <BR /> <BR />Alongside that, a key strand of the EA's enhanced support model will focus on how the SENCO role itself can be better supported and strengthened. In some schools, that may involve establishing the SENCO as a dedicated role that is free from teaching responsibilities, enabling SENCOs to focus fully on supporting children and young people with special educational needs.”
“Their ongoing feedback continues to inform implementation through the SENCO continuous reference group, which focuses on identifying strengths and challenges with the local impact teams and with educational psychology service models, thus ensuring that practitioners remain central to the wider programme of SEN reform. <BR /> <BR />Through the SEN reform agenda, I have articulated the need for sustained and meaningful investment in our education workforce. The central action in the SEN delivery plan is the design and delivery of a dedicated leadership programme for SENCOs. I am pleased to advise that the initial scoping work is already under way. It is looking carefully at existing training provision and best practice in other jurisdictions.”
“Those actions represent a further step forward, building on the extensive and ongoing work that the EA has progressed in order to streamline SEN processes and reduce the administrative burden on schools. That is the result of listening and then acting. <BR /> <BR />The local impact teams that were introduced in September 2025 were designed with the intention of removing barriers to services, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and promoting more equitable access to support. Central to that work has been the introduction of a single request for involvement portal, which enables SENCOs to engage with EA services through one streamlined process. SENCOs were closely involved in shaping and testing the portal to ensure that it reflected the realities of day-to-day practice.”
“Central to that package is dedicated SENCO release time of one month to stabilise the new provisions, with a further one day of release per month per class on an ongoing basis. Each school will also receive £10,000 to cover administrative responsibilities, which will free up SENCOs to focus on pupils rather than on paperwork. <BR /> <BR />To strengthen whole-school SEN capacity and to reduce reliance on SENCOs, up to 20% of mainstream teachers and up to five classroom assistants will receive targeted SEN training, supported by up to five days' release. Each setting will be supported by the EA specialist provision service through a dedicated advisory teacher, universal and targeted training and specialist input for individual pupils, where required.”
“Since 2021, the Department of Education has provided £92·5 million in funding to enable schools to release SENCOs from the timetable, thus allowing them dedicated time to prepare for the implementation of the new regulations, which include the introduction of personal learning plans. Newly appointed SENCOs are able to avail themselves of specialised SENCO induction training, which, they report, is highly valuable for building confidence, role clarity and a practical understanding of SEN processes. Furthermore, last month, the EA delivered dedicated leadership, management and health and well-being training for primary-school SENCOs. In addition to the existing support that is available, the EA has developed an enhanced package for schools that are establishing specialist provisions.”
“Earlier today, I published an action plan that will translate that panel's recommendations into practical and deliverable measures that support well-being, professional autonomy and sustainable workload practices across schools. Alongside that, the forthcoming Special Educational Needs (SEN) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 will place a clear statutory duty on boards of governors to ensure that SENCOs are provided with the protected non-teaching time necessary to fulfil their role effectively. That represents a significant and tangible strengthening of support for SENCOs across all schools.”