Northern Ireland

Catch-up for schools will not involve mandatory summer classes

Education minister Peter Weir during a visit to a year 8 class at Sullivan Upper School in Holywood. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Education minister Peter Weir during a visit to a year 8 class at Sullivan Upper School in Holywood. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire Education minister Peter Weir during a visit to a year 8 class at Sullivan Upper School in Holywood. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire

THE north's education minister has ruled out any compulsory schooling over the summer holidays to help pupils catch up.

All young people in schools in both the Republic and Northern Ireland are now back in their classrooms.

Those in Years 8-11 were the last group in the north to restart yesterday. They have been learning remotely since December.

The INTO union said the priority for the entire education system now had to be addressing the challenges which two prolonged periods of closure had created.

Minister Peter Weir said there would be no mandatory summer schools, however.

He said his department's officials would be rolling out academic and wellbeing recovery programmes.

These are likely to involve some voluntary summer activities to provide opportunity for "a level of catch-up", Mr Weir added.

"We have got to remember there is a lot of good work that has been done directly by way of remote learning, particularly everyone has been a lot more prepared for that from January so it's not as if education itself stopped during this period," he said.

"There's a lot of good work that has been done by schools, teachers and by parents. It's no direct substitute for being in school but by the same token we shouldn't think there was a blank canvas over the last three months."

All public examinations have been cancelled for a second summer, with pupils instead due to receive predicted grades.

During a visit to Sullivan Upper School in Holywood yesterday, Mr Weir said "robust measurement will be put in place" by the CCEA exams board to try to ensure consistency.

INTO northern secretary Gerry Murphy welcomed the return to school for remaining pupils.

"These children and young people will need to be eased back into formal learning and schools will no doubt take care to do so. INTO members are keen that that the education stakeholders come together and examine what a recovery curriculum will look like and how it is to be resourced," Mr Murphy said.

"Teachers and their colleagues in the support services will continue to ensure every precaution is taken to protect those in their care and themselves and we at INTO will continue to work with the department and the employing authorities to maintain and enhance the necessary precautionary measures.

"The priority for the entire education system now has to be about addressing the challenges which two prolonged periods of closure has given rise to for our young people. This is work that requires everyone's input if we are to successfully meet the needs of the school age population."

The Republic's largest teaching union, meanwhile, has called for vigilance as schools fully reopened yesterday.

More than one million pupils and staff returned.

The Teachers Union of Ireland said there was anxiety among school communities over the return, and called for an ongoing review of the situation.

"We have always said that the preference of our members is a return to face-to-face teaching and learning as long as all risk mitigation measures are in place and strictly adhered to," said general secretary Micheal Gillespie.

"With the full return to school buildings of all year groups, there is understandable anxiety among all in school communities, particularly given concerns around new strains of the virus.

"At a national level, the situation must be kept under forensic review, while adherence to the measures that protect the health and safety of students, staff and their families must be the key priority in every school. We have already made clear that we will not tolerate breaches of key safety measures in workplaces."