The policy document sets out the Education Authority’s (EA) commitment to supporting women in the workplace. The Policy Recognizes that women may need additional consideration, support and adjustments during the time of change before, during and after the menopause. The development of this Policy was committed to as part of the EA Gender Action Plan 2019-2022.

To introduce on-line applications for admission to pre-school education, primary and post primary schools that will provide a modern and efficient admissions service for all stakeholders.

The Framework for Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools sets out the rationale and delivery framework with regards to specialist provision in mainstream schools across Northern Ireland

The Framework also develops criteria and indicators to evaluate our special school estate in order to identify need and make suitable provision for future needs of children and young people with special educational needs.

Through ongoing engagement with young people throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the EA Youth Service is also acutely aware of the negative effects of this on employment pathways and educational opportunities for young people and wish to address these through the LYNC programme.   
 

The school complaints procedure has been in use by schools since 2008 and was reviewed in 2012. With the advent of the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman’s jurisdiction over schools in 2016, the procedure was again reviewed.

EA Youth Service is required under the “Priorities for Youth Policy” to deliver services in response to assessed need and to support the Department of Education (DE) priorities at a local and regional level. 

As we continue to plan and manage our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, EA introduced a number of initial, short term, important measures in order to continue to deliver essential education and support services for children and young people, particularly those most vulnerable in our society.

The guidance is for Principals and line managers to support staff returning to school following the closure of schools on 23 March 2020 for the normal education of children in schools following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Education Authority has developed guidance for schools, EOTAS centres and Youth Service on supporting transgender young people.

The Information Governance Unit is tasked with the development and implementation of clear organisational structures, systems and procedures for the management of information

Elective Home Education is the term used to describe the practice by which parents decide to educate their children outside of the school system. 

This screening exercise covers proposals in relation to posts reporting to the above functional managers which are currently based on structures inherited from the 5 former Education & Library Boards.

EA wish to transform the recruitment function, currently paper based, to an electronic system. This is the next step on the road to digital transformation strategy that fits with the EA’s own priorities but also with the wider PfG targets. 

EA wishes to extend the current online offering of ePayslips and P60’s in the Ballymena office. ePayslips/eP60 is the facility where EA staff can access their Payslips and P60s online instead of receiving paper copies to home through the post.

The proposed structure has been developed to reflect the need to deliver a regional capital planning and investment service, which ensures consistency, quality and value for money across all programmes and projects that the Authority manages.

The Facilities Management key function is leading and developing all aspects of facilities services including Maintenance, QSHE, Catering, Premises, Cleaning & Grounds. These managed services ensure that all properties that the Education Authority have responsibility for under each of the respective service areas in schools, offices and out-centres are maintained and operated to the highest standard.

The proposed structure has been developed to reflect the need to deliver a regional capital planning and investment service, which ensures consistency, quality and value for money across all programmes and projects that the Authority manages.

Transport assistance is provided for approximately 90,000 pupils and students on a daily basis at a cost of nearly £75 million per year. Whilst the primary responsibility for getting children to and from school rests with Parents; transport assistance is available for some children to facilitate their attendance at school. Children with disabilities or special educational needs may get additional help

This screening deals with the move to replace the existing process of emailing employees weekly notices of internal trawls, with a SharePoint solution which will provide significant benefits to internal applicant who will be able to directly access internal trawls electronically and download job documentation as appropriate and at their convenience.

The NJC pay award, which is contractually binding for EA employees on NJC terms and conditions, was agreed for two years: 2018-19 and 2019-20. The 2018 award included ‘bottom-loading’ (i.e. higher percentage increases) spinal column points (SCPs) 6-19 (inclusive) in order to continue to close the significant gap with the National Living Wage (NLW). SCPs 20 and above received a 2% increase.

The purpose of the EA Youth Service Equality and Inclusion Strategy 2018-2021 is to provide a flexible framework within which equality and inclusion activities and services can be supported and delivered across the EA funded youth service. 

The Scheme aims to implement key policy directives contained within the DE Priorities for Youth policy (2013) and to support related actions identified in the EA Regional Youth Development Plan (2017-20). In funding youth services, EA must also align with a number of other relevant policies.

The paper details the current processes with regard to payments made to parents under the Home to School Transport Scheme and outlines a single standardised approach for taking this forward for the Authority.