INCA Education around the world
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Northern Ireland
1. Control and organisation
The Department of Education (DE) and the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) are responsible for education in Northern Ireland. The DE is responsible for all policy, legislation and resource issues relating to schools and the youth service. DEL's responsibilities include further and higher education; vocational training; employment services; employment law and labour relations; teacher training and teacher education; student support and postgraduate awards; and training grants.
At local level, the responsibility for organising publicly-funded school education currently lies with the five Education and Library Boards (ELBs). Following a review of public administration, there are plans for the ELBs to be merged into a single Education and Skills Authority (ESA). A bill to establish the ESA is currently before the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the arrangements are expected to take effect in 2010.
Individual educational institutions enjoy a high degree of autonomy; most school administration and management functions are delegated to boards of governors and principals (headteachers).
A number of integrated schools have been established in Northern Ireland aiming to educate Catholic and Protestant children together. However, for historical reasons, the school system remains largely segregated on religious lines.
2. Public sector/private sector education
Publicly funded schools are known as grant-aided schools. There is a high level of financial delegation to schools. Funding is allocated according to a common funding formula, determined by student numbers and other factors such as size of premises and social need.
Private sector schools are known as independent schools. They receive no direct state funding but are required to be registered with the DE. Independent schools are inspected once every five to seven years by the Education and Training Inspectorate which advises the DE about schools' fitness to be registered. There are 19 private sector schools in Northern Ireland. Teachers in independent schools are not required to have 'eligibility to teach' (see 15. below).
In 2009/10, 98 per cent of pupils attended grant-aided schools (not including special schools), while 1.4 per cent attended special schools and 0.3 per cent attended non grant-aided independent schools.
3. Language of instruction
Although the official language in Northern Ireland is English, Irish is known to varying degrees by some 10 per cent of the population. There is a Council for Irish-medium Education (Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta) and a few stand-alone, state-funded primary and secondary level schools which offer Irish-medium education (IME). There are also some units attached to English-medium schools which offer IME at primary and post-primary level.
4. Compulsory education
Children must receive full-time education between the ages of 4 and 16 years. A child reaching the age of 4 on or before 1 July must start full-time education on 1 September of that year; a child becoming 4 after 1 July must start full-time education in the following school year. (The school year runs from September to June.)
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Phases |
Age range and key stages |
Year of compulsory education |
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Primary education |
4 - 11 years |
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Foundation stage |
Years 1 and 2 of compulsory education |
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Key stage 1, 6-8 years |
Years 3 and 4 of compulsory education |
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Key stage 2, 8-11 years |
Years 5, 6 and 7 of compulsory education |
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Secondary education |
11-16 years |
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Key stage 3, 11-14 years |
Years 8, 9 and 10 of compulsory education |
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Key Stage 4, 14-16 years |
Years 11 and 12 of compulsory education |
Note: The foundation stage was introduced in September 2007. Previously, 4- to 6-year-olds were in key stage 1 which covered the first four years of compulsory education.
5. Pre-compulsory education
The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, defines pre-primary education as education provided for a child (whether at school or any other premises) between the ages of two and four years (compulsory school age), other than in the reception class of a primary school.
Participation in pre-primary education is not compulsory. However, since 2003/04, free part-time nursery provision has been available for all children in their immediate pre-primary year (three- to four-year-olds) whose parents want it. These children are entitled to attend five two-and-a-half hour sessions each week for 38 weeks a year. Free places are available in a range of settings including nursery classes and units in primary school; and voluntary and private playgroups. Education and Library Boards (ELBs) have overall responsibility for pre-primary provision at local level.
Although there is no centrally-prescribed curriculum for pre-school education in Northern Ireland, providers receiving government funding are expected to follow curriculum guidance issued by the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA). This guidance was revised in 2006 to provide for progression to the new foundation stage (the first two years of primary education, children aged four to six).The overarching aim of the guidance is to provide a holistic curriculum, based on opportunities for learning through play, across the following areas: creative/aesthetic development; personal, social and emotional development; physical development and movement; language development; early mathematical experiences; early experiences in science and technology; and knowledge and appreciation of the environment. Providers are also expected to use ICT resources to enhance children's learning.
6. Post-compulsory education
Education is provided free of charge to full-time students up to the age of 19 in publicly funded schools and further education institutions. It is mostly grammar schools, but also a significant number of secondary schools alongside further education colleges, which currently offer post-compulsory education to students and, although schools do offer some vocational courses at the post-compulsory level, it is currently more common for students wishing to undertake vocational/applied education to attend further education institutions.
The curriculum in post-compulsory education is determined by the student's choice of course(s) during this phase; there is no compulsory core curriculum.
Students completing post-compulsory secondary education - usually at around the age of 18 - may continue their education in the further or higher education sector, depending on the courses studied and qualifications obtained.
7. Special needs education
Children are identified as having special educational needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. That is, if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of their age, or they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided for children of their age.
Depending on students' individual need, provision for children with SEN in Northern Ireland is offered in mainstream classes, special units attached to mainstream schools, or in special schools. The emphasis is on educating children with SEN alongside their peers in mainstream schools wherever possible.
In 2008/09 4.1 per cent of all pupils in Northern Ireland had a statement of special educational needs. In the same year, the percentage of students attending special schools was around 1.4 per cent.
8. School year
The school year runs from the beginning of September to the end of the following June, with eight weeks' summer break and two weeks each at Christmas and Easter.
Schools must be in operation for 200 days a year, but are closed to children when teachers are on training days (five days), for school development days (five days) or on optional closing days (five days) annually. The dates of terms and holidays are set by the local ELB or the board of governors (depending on the type of school).
Children under the age of 8 are required to attend school for a minimum of three hours a day, although they usually attend for longer than this. Those aged over 8 must attend for four-and-a-half hours a day, in two sessions, separated by a period of not less than half an hour. Classes normally take place on five days each week, Monday to Friday. Schools are generally open between 9.00 am and 3.30/4.00 pm.
9. Statutory curricula
In September 2007, a new Northern Ireland Curriculum began to be introduced, and will be fully implemented by September 2010. The revised curriculum, which has been organised into areas of learning, has an increased emphasis on skills. The framework is also less prescriptive than its predecessor, setting out minimum content for each area of learning rather than all topics to be covered. Religious education (RE) remains a statutory requirement at all key stages.
In the Foundation Stage (children aged four to six), and in key stages 1 (ages six to eight) and 2 (ages eight to 11) there are six areas of learning: language and literacy; mathematics and numeracy; the arts; the world around us; personal development and mutual understanding; and physical education (physical education and movement in the Foundation Stage).
At key stage 3 (pupils aged 11 to 14) the areas of learning are: the arts; language and literacy; environment and society; modern languages; mathematics and numeracy; physical education; science and technology; and religious education. Students must also study 'Learning for life and work' and 'Developing skills and capabilities' which help them to develop the 'soft' skills valued by employers. In addition, the cross-curricular skills: communication, using mathematics, and using ICT should be covered across all areas of learning.
At key stage 4 (pupils aged 14 to 16 years), schools are required to provide access to all areas of the revised curriculum. However, at this key stage, statutory requirements have been reduced to 'Learning for life and work', PE, RE and 'Developing skills and capabilities'. As a counter-balance to the reduced core curriculum, the 'Entitlement Framework', which will become mandatory for all schools from 2013, aims to provide students aged between 14 and 19 with a minimum number and range of applied (vocational) and general (academic) courses.
10. Religious education
Religious education and collective worship are a compulsory element of the curriculum, although parents have the right to withdraw children from these activities.
Religious education must be taught in all publicly funded schools according to a common core syllabus, which is drawn up with the agreement of the main churches.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work related education or careers education
At primary level, the curriculum includes 'personal development and mutual understanding'. This focuses on two strands: personal understanding and health (emotional development, learning to learn, health, relationships and sexuality education); and mutual understanding in the local and global community. In secondary education, the curriculum includes 'learning for life and work' comprising education for employability, local and global citizenship, and personal development.
12. Textbooks
Textbooks are not officially prescribed, but are usually decided by the class teacher, in consultation with the principal and subject leaders. Publicly funded schools provide textbooks for students during compulsory phase education.
Although, in general, compulsory booklists do not exist, there are some prescribed texts which students must study to meet the requirements of examination syllabuses.
13. Statutory system of assessment
In primary school and post-primary school at key stage 3 (pupils aged four to 14), the former system of statutory tests has been replaced by annual teacher assessment in each of the areas of learning, and the cross-curricular and other skills. In addition, at the end of key stage 1 (pupils aged 8), key stage 2 (pupils aged 11) and key stage 3 (pupils aged 14), schools are required to report to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) teacher assessment results in Language and Literacy and Mathematics and Numeracy.
14. Examinations and certification
Assessment on completion of compulsory education (16) usually involves the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). Traditionally taken in academic subjects, and increasingly available in a range of applied (vocational) subject areas, GCSE qualifications are usually required for access to further study. 'Entry-level' qualifications are also available for students who, on reaching compulsory school leaving age, are judged not to be ready for GCSEs or similar qualifications.
The main qualifications offered in post-compulsory education in schools are GCE 'A' Levels, GCE Advanced Subsidiary qualifications and GCE 'A' Levels in Applied Subjects. Success in these qualifications is usually required for university entrance. Other institutions providing post-compulsory education offer a vast range of general, academic, vocational and recreational courses and qualifications.
15. Initial teacher training
All teachers employed in publicly funded schools in Northern Ireland must have 'eligibility to teach' status. This is normally achieved by completing an initial teacher education (ITE) course accredited by the Department of Education (DE). There are two main (traditional) routes which lead to recognition as a qualified teacher: the 'concurrent route' leading to the Bachelor of Education degree, and the 'consecutive route' leading to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, PGCE.
