Head teacher 'blames MLAs' for funding cut to almost 500 Northern Ireland schools

There are calls for the Secretary of State to step in and provide funding for a schools programme which helps disadvantaged children.

The 'Extended Education Programme' requires £9m a year to run after-school clubs for sports, drama and art, as well as homework and breakfast clubs.

On Thursday schools were sent a letter explaining that the funding would run out at the end of term in June.

Gillian Dunlop, Principal of Largeymore Primary in Lisburn, told UTV: "This is just another blow to the school budget allocation and I lay the blame with our MLAs who are no longer in Stormont. If we had an Education Minister I don't think we would find ourselves in this situation."

The programme also provides services such as counselling and extra reading classes for children who are falling behind.

Gillian said: "The pressure in the classroom will be felt because the reading partnership programs added years of reading age onto a child and the talk programme with the speech and language helped the language development within the classroom. If the teacher doesn't have this support within her classroom it falls to the teacher to fill the gap."

Largeymore Primary is just one of almost 500 schools to benefit from the programme.

Many of those schools teach the most vulnerable children across Northern Ireland.

Unions are now calling on the Secretary of State to step in and fund the £9m programme.

Justin McCamphill from the NASUWT in Northern Ireland told UTV: "We've already seen cuts to the engage programme, the healthy happy minds programme, the holiday hunger programme and now we are seeing the end of this program.

"We're calling on the Secretary of State to look after vulnerable young people. We need a post-covid recovery plan for Northern Ireland and we just don't have it."

Five teaching unions are set to strike next week over pay.

Given the potential ask for staff to add more hours to their day for no extra money, the funding cut may only strength their cause.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.