AQW 48760/22-27 – Department of Education designated lead on AI

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether his Department has a designated lead or responsible officer on his Department's use of Artificial Intelligence. Minister of Education: My Department does not currently have a designated lead or responsible officer for its use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”). The Department’s use of AI … Continue reading AQW 48760/22-27 – Department of Education designated lead on AI

AQW 47761/22-27 – Sign language fluency in schools

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he has taken to increase sign language fluency in schools. Minister of Education: Provision for sign language in education sits alongside wider arrangements to support children and young people with additional needs to access the curriculum and participate fully in … Continue reading AQW 47761/22-27 – Sign language fluency in schools

AQW 44297/22-27 – Improving SEND provision in mainstream schools

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he is taking to help improve SEND provision in mainstream schools. Minister of Education: My department and the Education Authority (EA) are working intensively to improve special educational needs (SEN) provision in mainstream schools. Members are aware that I wrote … Continue reading AQW 44297/22-27 – Improving SEND provision in mainstream schools

AQW 47762/22-27 – Free school meals

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether any recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of providing free school meals to all school children. Minister of Education: Free school meals (FSM) continue to provide vital help to many low-income families. For some children, access to a nutritious school … Continue reading AQW 47762/22-27 – Free school meals

AQW 47406/22-27 – Nutritional standards for school menus

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 45212/22-27, to detail any steps his Department is taking to update the nutritional standards for school menus, bringing them in line with the latest dietary advice, including on fibre. Minister of Education: My Department completed a review of the nutritional standards … Continue reading AQW 47406/22-27 – Nutritional standards for school menus

AQW 46915/22-27 – Department of Education Renewable energy vehicles

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education, in light of increases in fuel costs, whether he has made any recent assessment of the benefits of using renewable sources to power all vehicles used by his Department and by any arm's-length bodies. Minister of Education: My Department retains a single vehicle for … Continue reading AQW 46915/22-27 – Department of Education Renewable energy vehicles

AQW 46043/22-27 – Training for primary school PE teachers

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he is taking to improve training for primary school teachers in delivering high quality (i) physical education; and (ii) school sport. Minister of Education: To improve training for primary school teachers, my Department is taking forward targeted, practical measures in … Continue reading AQW 46043/22-27 – Training for primary school PE teachers

AQW 46432/22-27 – Safeguarding standards in schools

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he is taking to ensure safeguarding standards are applied consistently across all types of schools. Minister of Education: I am clear that consistently high standards of safeguarding must be upheld in every school, irrespective of sector or management arrangements. The … Continue reading AQW 46432/22-27 – Safeguarding standards in schools