The Education Minister of Northern Ireland, Paul Givan, has announced the introduction of new standardized tests in Maths and English for primary and post-primary students. These assessments aim to evaluate literacy and numeracy skills across the region, with tests scheduled for the end of P4, P7, and Third form. This initiative is set to commence in the 2025/26 school year and will run for three years.
The new tests, similar to the standardised assessment tests (Sats) in England, will be spearheaded by the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA). The first batch of tests is slated for March 2026. However, these tests will not be administered in all schools but rather in a representative sample. Importantly, individual pupils' results will not be published, focusing instead on assessing Northern Ireland-wide performance.
Paul Givan emphasized the importance of these skills, stating:
"Literacy and numeracy are the essential foundation of all education." – Paul Givan
In parallel with the educational reforms, teachers in Northern Ireland have been offered a 5.5% pay rise. This proposal is aimed at securing a pay agreement for the 2024/25 fiscal year. The increase, which will be backdated to September 1, 2024, is expected to cost Stormont approximately £48 million in the 2024/25 financial year and become a recurring cost of £83 million in subsequent years. The teaching employers involved in these discussions include the Department of Education (DE), the Education Authority (EA), and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
The 2024/25 financial year is nearing its end, making the timing of this pay agreement crucial for the teaching workforce. The introduction of these tests aims to align Northern Ireland with other regions and prevent it from being an "outlier" in educational assessments.
