AQW 34107/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 22/10/2025
Answered On Date: 03/11/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 32809/22-27, to detail the 13 early priority actions he is referring to.

Answer:

The 13 early priority actions being progressed with the £27.5m secured from the Public Sector Transformation Fund (PSTF) are:

Transforming the support model.

Establish and deliver a pilot early childhood SEN intervention programme which includes:

A parental engagement programme;

A programme for 2-3-year-olds with emerging special educational needs (SEN);

Creation of early intervention/ assessment hubs;

In-school support model for children in pre-school and foundation stage;

Introduction of SEN specific training for assistants in pre-school and foundation stage.

Establish and deliver a pilot speech, language and communication intervention toolkit and programme.

Transform inclusive play environments.

Early Intervention Enhanced Nurture Programme.

Establish Special Schools as Resource Hubs/Centres of Expertise.

Design and trial a Teacher & Classroom Assistant Professional Learning Programme to support Inclusive Education.

Design and trial an Inclusive Capacity Building Programme.

‘Transforming the statementing process’ is also being progressed as an early action and was included as one of the 13 projects under the PSTF but is now being funded under the Education Authority (EA) Connect programme.