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NAHT Northern Ireland

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NAHT Northern Ireland represents principals and vice-principals in around two-thirds of 1,150 schools in Northern Ireland. NAHT Northern Ireland provide advice, training and support for its members on a range of issues faced by senior leaders in schools. Along with our colleagues in England and Wales, we are there to defend and extend the rights of school leaders.  

NAHT NI is democratic and member-led, and supported by its Belfast-based team of staff alongside their colleagues based in both Wales and England.

NAHT Northern Ireland
Carnmoney House
Edgewater Office Park

Belfast
BT3 9JQ

nahtni@naht.org.uk
02890 776633 

Schools still face a staffing crisis, says NAHT Northern Ireland

Dr Graham Gault, director of school leaders' union NAHT(NI), said:

"Covid is still very prevalent across all of our schools and the reality is that the staffing crisis, which was well publicised earlier this year, is still at a critical level. Many school leaders are finding it impossible to source substitute teachers and do not have the resource available within the school to keep all classes open for all children. The inevitable impact, in many cases, is short-term closure, until safe staffing levels can be restored.

"As a result of our appeals before Christmas, DE sought additional teaching resource from retired teachers as well as from others who may be otherwise employed. The problem of staff absence is so serious, however, that it cannot possibly be wholly mitigated by any gains main through these efforts.

"Our communities need to be understanding if schools are forced into making serious decisions on the grounds of safety, and the system must remain cognisant of the realities and remember that our school leaders cannot be expected to cope with anything beyond the critical business of running a school during the pandemic."

First published 28 March 2022

NAHT Northern Ireland Events 2023

NAHT(NI) AGM and industrial action meeting

Our 2023 AGM and industrial action meeting takes place on Thursday 5 October 2023 – find out more

 

 

 

 

Recent consultations and other documents

NITC joint letter to management side

The five teacher unions in Northern Ireland, including NAHT(NI), wrote to the employers seeking additional payment to school leaders and teaching staff who worked significant additional hours during summer 2021 in order to ensure this work was recognised.

 

Consultation on deferring school starting age: NAHT(NI) draft response

We are concerned at the advancement of this proposal as the evidential basis for this consultation is highly limited. We contend that the current proposal should be retracted. The proposal fails to reflect the experience of pupils, school leaders, parents and the whole school community. Given the significance of this potential policy change, it is essential that the perspectives of all stakeholders are considered. We know that members are operating in a business-critical environment and will have limited or no time to engage with consultation exercises, however, we encourage members to consider responding to this important consultation and copy our response to complete your individual response.

 

Previous consultation responses and statements

First published 08 April 2020
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