AQW 36995/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 08/12/2025
Answered On Date: 16/12/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any engagement he has planned with teaching unions, following the publication of the Independent Review of Teacher Workload.

Answer:

I am committed to addressing the issue of teacher and school leader workload. I want to ensure that teachers can focus on what matters most – teaching, learning and supporting pupils in the classroom. That is why I established an independent panel to review this issue.

The Independent Review of Teacher Workload report was only published on 1 December 2025. My officials and I will require some time to carefully consider the recommendations, including the recommendation in relation to controlled assessment, before we can provide a detailed response on the way forward.

We will be engaging with teaching unions as part of this process.