Education in Northern Ireland - improving attainment and reducing inequalities

Education in Northern Ireland - improving attainment and reducing inequalities

Tuesday, 4th April 2017

Belfast

THIS EVENT IS CPD CERTIFIED

Guests of Honour

Dr Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

Noelle Buick, Chief Inspector, Education and Training Inspectorate

This seminar follows the appointment of a new Minister for Education, and is a timely opportunity to consider the key issues within Education policy in Northern Ireland, particularly surrounding improving attainment and reducing inequalities.

It follows the launch of the development phase of the Education Authority’s first Strategic Plan - which aims to help shape the strategic direction of the organisation over the next decade; and the consultation on the Education Authority’s Draft Strategic Area Plan - which aims to ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum that meets their needs in sustainable schools - and comes as the Minister for Education has launched a consultation on the Children and Young Person’s Strategy.

Delegates will also discuss the Equality Commission Draft Statement on Key Inequalities in Education and its findings - which noted lower attainment levels for particular groups, such as working class Protestant boys - and the Education Training Inspectorate’s biennial Report - which highlights the achievements and sets out the challenges facing education and training in Northern Ireland.

Further sessions will consider how early intervention and community support can help to reduce inequalities in these groups, and how school standards can be enhanced to improve attainment - including through improved school leadership and greater school autonomy.

For this conference we expect speakers and other delegates to be an informed group including Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, senior government officials involved in this area of public policy, together with representatives from schools, teachers and parents organisations, community groups and businesses and employment representatives.