WIREDGOV

The Assembly’s Education Committee yesterday published a report on its recent post-primary transfer survey. The Committee launched the survey in July 2020, and was keen to hear the views of parents/guardians, teachers, children’s organisations and advocates on this year’s transfer test, particularly in light of the difficulties posed by the closure of schools due to COVID-19. Committee Members were also interested in learning how those surveyed felt about the current transfer test arrangements in general.

Wanting to ensure that children sitting this year’s tests also had an opportunity to have their voices heard, the Committee developed a separate ‘Young People’s’ survey*.

Speaking after the launch of the survey report, the Committee Chairperson, Chris Lyttle MLA yesterday said:

“The onset of COVID-19 and the resultant closure of schools has been unprecedented, and has obviously had a huge impact on parents, teachers and most importantly on the children that were due to sit this year’s transfer tests. We felt very strongly that we wanted to reach out to those affected, to help us to better understand the prevailing issues, and to provide the Committee with an opportunity to advocate on their behalf.

“The Committee received an unprecedented 8,538 completed surveys with a high proportion of respondents identifying as parents or teachers of children in primary 6 and primary 7.”

Mr Lyttle concluded:

“The Committee will bring a motion to the Assembly after Halloween in order to discuss and debate the overall findings of the survey. We will also be calling on the Minister to bring forward contingency plans for post-primary transfer arrangements.”

Notes to Editor:

• Read the full Committee report (including the ‘Young People’s’ survey) 
• The survey to parents/guardians/young people’s advocates and others was open from 20 July – 7 September 2020 and resulted in 8,538 completed surveys.
• *The ‘Young People’s’ survey was made available to the children of parents who had completed the original survey. This survey was open from 1-7 September 2020 and resulted in 754 completed surveys.  

Committee Membership:

Chris Lyttle MLA (Chairperson)

Karen Mullan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Maurice Bradley MLA

Robbie Butler MLA

William Humphrey MLA

Catherine Kelly MLA

Daniel McCrossan MLA

Justin McNulty MLA

Robin Newton MBE MLA

Media enquiries to:

Sinead Murphy
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 90525938

Mobile: 0789 9864368
Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk