Latest news with #SpecialEducationalNeedsandDisabilities
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Northern Ireland Department of Education To Launch Research Study to Evaluate AI's Role in Advancing Literacy for Students
Research initiative, led by Oxford Brookes University (OBU) and using Amira, will evaluate evidence-based AI reading interventions to support students and inform national literacy policy BELFAST, Northern Ireland, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Northern Ireland Department of Education announced it will fund a national research study to evaluate the impact of AI-powered literacy interventions on reading outcomes with Amira Learning (Amira), particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as part of the RAISE initiative. The study, led by Oxford Brookes University (OBU) and using Amira, will assess the effectiveness of evidence-based AI literacy tools on improving reading outcomes. The study will use a matched-pair design to identify rigorous, policy-relevant evidence to inform national literacy policy and support targeted interventions. For this study, over 15,000 participating pupils will first complete a brief 15-minute baseline assessment to evaluate their literacy skills and identify potential challenges such as dyslexia. This assessment utilizes Amira's AI-powered technology, developed from decades of research at Carnegie Mellon and validated by leading universities, which listens to students read aloud and identifies reading challenges through next-generation assessment capabilities. Over the duration of the study, pupils will engage with Amira, an AI-assisted reading tutor for frequent sessions totaling 20-40 minutes weekly for 12 months. The research methodology includes continuous monitoring and data collection to evaluate effectiveness. Teachers will receive face to face and online training from Oxford Brookes University to support teachers to interpret assessment data through detailed reports, enabling them to identify struggling readers and then implement individualized, evidence-based, targeted interventions aligned with the Science of Reading. This comprehensive approach supports Northern Ireland's ongoing shift toward evidence-based tools making a positive impact on reading outcomes while providing data-driven insights to inform both classroom practices and broader educational policy decisions. Professor Tim Vorley, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University, said, "This study gives us a chance to rigorously test how tools like Amira can support what we already know works in primary reading. It's about applying the evidence, not replacing it—with technology that complements and boosts the professionalism of the teachers, rather than competing with it." Minister of Education, Paul Givan MLA, said, "Literacy is core to allowing pupils to access knowledge and all areas of learning within the curriculum. It is the key to unlocking the curriculum and a love for learning. I am looking forward to the outcomes of this research project and how these can inform my Department's policy going forward." Mark Angel, CEO of Amira Learning, said, "Literacy is the foundation of all learning, and it's critical that we ground our efforts in evidence-based practices that actually move the needle for students. This study is an important opportunity to show how AI and the Science of Reading can come together to deliver real, measurable impact in the classroom. At Amira, we're proud to support educators with reading solutions that are not only research-backed, but proven in practice." For more information, visit: About Oxford Brookes University Oxford Brookes is one of the UK's leading modern universities, and is amongst the world's top universities in 23 subject areas. Set in a world-famous student city, it enjoys an international reputation for teaching excellence as well as strong links with business, industry and the public sector. The University is a national leader in teacher education, with over 25 years' experience in preparing teachers, supporting schools, and shaping education policy. Its research in primary literacy, inclusive pedagogy and professional development has informed practice across the UK and beyond. Through its education publishing and development arm, Hamilton Brookes, the university works directly with schools and systems to co-design practical resources that help teachers apply research in real-world settings. Visit for more information. About Amira LearningAmira Learning accelerates literacy outcomes by delivering the latest reading and neuroscience with AI. Propelling gains exceeding human tutoring, Amira is the only AI edtech validated by university and SEA efficacy research. Amira bridges assessment, instruction, and tutoring across one seamless cycle, helping districts achieve instructional coherence. Serving more than 4+ million students and trusted by more than 2,000 schools worldwide, Amira is the intelligent assistant teachers need to turn students into motivated and masterful readers. Visit to learn more. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Amira Learning
The Irish Sun
26-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
I was THROTTLED by boy, 14, in front of my class – but was hauled in front of jobsworth school bosses who disciplined ME
A TEACHER was disciplined by jobsworth school bosses after refusing to teach a pupil who throttled her in front of her class, she claims. Mum Laura Linklater was so traumatised by the incident in Bradford, West Yorkshire, she quit her job and now 3 Laura Linklater 'got in trouble' for refusing to teach her attacker Credit: Laura Linklater 3 Laura's attacker returned to her form group the next week without any warning Credit: Getty The 40-year-old said her teacher training did not 'prepare me to handle' such a To make matters worse, she said the following week the While teaching the Year 10 class, Laura said one pupil suddenly became aggressive. She told The Sun: 'He was really tall, really big and very angry. Read more News 'He came into my class one day barging 'Suddenly, he had me up against the classroom wall Laura described how a 'I was left shaking,' she said. Most read in The Sun She went on to say: 'I was only told he'd been 'dealt with', before he turned up to my registration class next Monday, without a "I refused to teach the student. I didn't blame him; but I refused to have my aggressor in my classroom.' Boy, 7, in school 'knife attack' bid In a subsequent meeting with a superior, she claims she was told 'it's your job' to teach the teenager, and so she threatened to quit. 'He (a superior staff member) found this shocking, and I got in trouble for refusing to teach my attacker.' She added: 'I was having to fight for my Laura said after the meeting: 'I held my tears in long enough to find a classroom to After the meeting, a 'But that was only because of the exceptional kindness of this individual.' Months after the incident in late 2012 she left her job, describing the incident as 'the last straw'. Laura added: "My decision to "You'd be stunned by the number of home educators who are teachers - who've seen the system from the inside out and don't want their kids to go through it." I held my tears in long enough to find a classroom to cry in. Laura Linklater former teacher A survey last month by the NASUWT teachers' union shows that Laura's experience is shockingly common in the profession. It showed that two fifths of school teachers have experienced In detail, 20% of the survey's 5,800 respondents said they had experienced being hit or The results also suggested that such abuse is set to get worse, with a staggering 81% of teachers believing the number of pupils showing violent and abusive behaviours had increased. Thankfully, Laura had received basic self defence training while doing a previous job at PREVENT, working with She fears without this previous training, she would not have been able to keep her attacker away until he was removed. Laura explained: 'My PGCE training did not prepare me to handle kids who towered over me. 'I was given one day of theory-based Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) lectures. 'You come out of it blinking in the sun, with no idea what you're doing.' My teen's school referred me to the POLICE because of a few sick days – I'm fuming but people ask why I'm kicking off By Kate Kulniece A MUM has revealed she's been Mum Sara Louise took to TikTok to rant after being notified that the authorities would be coming to do a welfare check on her child, who is in Year 10. The furious mum explained that her daughter has ''some additional needs'' - which Sara felt like were ''not met by the school''. In ''I only had phone calls to check in and see if she was okay. Some of them I didn't even answer,'' Sara said in The outraged mum went on: ''This term, she's been off for 11 days and they've rung me twice in the 11 days. ''And today, when I answered the phone call, she asked me if she could come out and do a welfare check - and I kindly declined. ''I said 'No, I don't want you to come to my house','' Sara said, adding that her teenager was ''absolutely fine'' and didn't ''want any interaction with the school''. Under the Education (Penalty Notices) Regulations, schools usually consider a welfare check when a child has missed 10 school sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absences within a rolling 10-week period. Schools may conduct a welfare check sooner if they have concerns about a child's wellbeing, even if the absence is shorter. Before a home visit, schools will usually try to contact the parents first to understand the reason for the absence. ''I'm fuming. Because I have now declined, they're telling me that they have a duty of care - which is fine - and safeguarding and all the rest of it, to come out and do this check.'' Sara, who is in the process of moving her daughter to another school, noted that getting the police involved felt as if she was ''hiding'' and ''abusing'' the child. ''I know they haven't said that - but the way that comes across is, like, sinister.'' Despite the school notifying Sara, the mum said there was no chance she was going to the child's school to let them know the daughter was fine ''when she's fine''. ''And there's not a cat in hell's chance that they're coming to my house to see that she's fine.'' The furious mother, who insisted the school had never given ''a s**t'' about her daughter, knew there'd be backlash after posting the clip - but said she didn't ''give a crap''. If the authorities do show up, Sara said she'd be having the conversation with the police from her camera. ''This is what you get for doing what's right for your kid.'' Despite the incredibly high rate of pupil assaults, no mandatory training exists for teachers to deal with violent assault, sexual harassment or sexual assault from pupils. Jennifer Moses, National Official For Equalities and Training at the NASUWT explained: 'Schools are only obligated and trained to deal with pupil-on-pupil or staff-on-pupil violence and 'Schools should have something in their anti-bullying policies or staff handbooks that addresses violence and harassment from pupils, but this is not nationally addressed. "There may be schools that provide this specific training, but I would guess it is very limited, and I am not aware of any such schools.' In a situation where The 2023 NASUWT Behaviour in Schools Report showed that just 55% of teachers reported behavioural incidents to their manager within their school or college. Of those who did not report such behaviours, 36% felt their capability would be called into question as a result. In March, another NASUWT survey showed that nearly half (49%) of female teachers had experienced physical abuse or More than double the number of female teachers said they had been hit or punched by pupils (36%) compared to their male counterparts (13%). This kind of violence is often embedded in 'Amy', a former primary school teacher in London who has chosen to remain She said: 'I was teaching a year 3 class, and a 'This boy refused to take any authority from women, and frequently called me a 'black b****'. 'He kept telling me: 'I'm going to hit you, I'm going to hit you.' 'Then he pulled out a pair of scissors and attacked me with them. 'It was only because we had a 'I'm only 5'2' and this boy was incredibly strong. 'Had the TA not been there, this boy could have run out of the school gates with these scissors.' This boy refused to take any authority from women, and frequently called me a 'black b****'. 'Amy' former teacher Training and support for this teacher were, again, worryingly absent in the aftermath of this attack. 'I had absolutely no training for these kinds of incidents,' Amy said. 'After the attack, the teaching assistant asked if I was OK, but there was no 'The lack of help was so normalised that it's only now that I realise I should have been better protected by the school. 'The only feedback I received was the mother of the child on the phone having a right go at me. 'There's no way I would ever go back into teaching of any form because of my experiences - I don't want to be in those environments. 'I don't know how to keep myself safe.' Pupils armed with weapons The April NASUWT survey showed teachers reporting attacks from pupils with more than just classroom scissors - using weapons such as Again this is not limited to secondary schools, as Amy recalls a year 6 student Many teachers feel that while the behaviour of pupils is getting worse, the tools and deterrents they have available to them to maintain order in classrooms are becoming increasingly scarce. "We can't use language like ' She added: 'When I started teaching, you could take designated 'Now there's not a chance you could have that kind of system in place - you can't have anything where you are seen to be punishing or 'When there's no sanctions, when everything has to be positive the whole time, there's no way of managing the class. 'One of the things that schools did have for really bad behaviour situations or children that were repeated offenders, is that they could 'But now, schools are reluctant to exclude kids - because from the top down, they were instructed to reduce the total number of exclusions.' Susan found the consequences of this toothless sanction system were She said: 'I experienced a range of behaviours from 'This included being physically pushed, kicked or spat at. 'I've been in situations where I've had to 'It didn't matter what stage of school you taught at, you could still be assaulted. 'It was scary, even if they were little, because there's so much 'Students wouldn't have to apologise for an attack on a teacher, especially if they have an additional support need.' In 2024, 40.5% of all pupils in 'As soon as a child has an additional support need, it's like you can't separate that need from She added: 'I believe we've got a proportion of children who are diagnosed with having an additional support need, when they have a behaviour issue.' Susan also noticed a A study for the children's commissioner for England in 2023 found that a quarter of 16-25 year olds in the UK had first seen pornography while in primary school, leading to a normalisation of 'There's a lot more primary school children making inappropriate comments against teachers - it was 'I definitely think, you know, part of that problem is because of the rise in social media and children having access to devices much younger.' 'There's a dislike for females and it's obviously derived a lot from Susan quit teaching just before the start of COVID to start a tutoring service, as she felt that as a regular teacher she was spending far more time managing behaviour than actually 'I love 'I felt a lot of the time in the classroom that I was 'Teachers nowadays do much more 'We're the front line for everything, but we're also the first person that gets shot when something doesn't go right. 'I hear from my ex-colleagues who are still teaching that post COVID, it's got much, much worse. 'The demands on teachers have massively gone up, but the funding and support hasn't - if anything, they've been The Sun has approached Laura's former school for comment. Do you have a similar story? Email 3 Two fifths of school teachers have experienced physical abuse or violence by pupils in the last 12 months Credit: Getty
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MP calls for fairer funding for county schools
A Gloucestershire MP is calling on the government to make school funding "fairer", with pupils in the county receiving up to £1,000 less each year compared to other parts of England. Cameron Thomas, the Liberal Democrat MP for Tewkesbury, held a debate at Westminster Hall on Tuesday where he highlighted the discrepancy. He said teachers in the county and across England are "on the front line of a genuine crisis to which they have been given no real answers". The Department for Education (DfE) said it will review the way school funding is calculated ahead of the 2026/27 academic year. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire The government pays local authorities money to provide education services through what is called the Dedicated Schools Grant. It uses a number of measures such as deprivation levels and local costs to calculate how much each area should receive. A spokesperson said: "We are reviewing the schools and high needs national funding formula (NFFs) for 2026-27 and the following years, recognising the importance of establishing a fair funding system." Gloucestershire is currently in the bottom 20% when it comes to school funding. This means pupils in the county receive up to £1,000 less each year compared to the 20% best funded areas. Thomas, 42, said this has an impact on pupils and teachers, with one Gloucestershire head teacher telling him he spent his holiday fixing the school as it could not afford to employ a caretaker. Speaking to the BBC after the debate, Thomas said: "Quite literally for a pupil it means they are being invested in to a lesser degree than pupils elsewhere in the country, and it might have a significant impact on the opportunities that are available to pupils within the education programme. "But the other victims of this are the teachers. "My head teachers are having to make decisions as to who they can afford to keep in term of their staff and who they need to let go." Thomas has welcomed the government's promise to review the funding formula but said it must result in an increase in the overall money given to schools across England. He believes the government could increase taxes on technology and social media companies to pay for it. "Quite simply, I'm looking for more equity," he said. "What I'm not asking for is to withdraw funds from those more lucratively funded areas of the country. I just want to make sure Gloucestershire gets it's fair share. "I certainly wouldn't like to see Gloucestershire less funded than it is now, it's already in a terrible state and any decrease to their existing funding would be ruinous." Alongside general mainstream school demands, councils across England are also struggling with the increasing costs associated with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. In Gloucestershire, it is estimated the SEND budget will reach a deficit of £170m by the end of the 2028 financial year. The government currently allows local authorities to run this section of the budget at a deficit, but there is currently no clear plan as to how or when councils will be expected to balance this debt. The funding formula for the Dedicated Schools Grant was last reviewed in 2018/19. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. MP banned from Russia after taking aid to Ukraine Funding worth £4.7m to create extra school places Parents devastated pre-school could close over lack of funding Department for Education
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kent County Council election: when is it and how do I vote?
The polls will open in the Kent County Council election on 1 means the vast majority of people in Kent will get to have their say over who runs many of their local is a huge job – the local authority looks after the largest population in the UK, with more than 1.6 million candidates pound the pavements, knocking on doors and dropping leaflets through our letterboxes, here is everything you need to know about the upcoming election. What does Kent County Council do? County councils provide services that cover the whole of their biggest areas of responsibility is social care for both adults and are also in charge of education, including school places, the Kent Test, free school meals and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Send).Councillors set policies around transport too, including bus travel and fixing road community grants and youth hubs also receive council most of Kent, borough, district and city councils act as a second tier of local government and have different responsibilities, like deciding where homes can be aren't any district, borough or city council elections in Kent this you live in Medway the set up is different. That is because council services are run through a unitary authority. That is one authority in charge of all local services. Medway Council held its last election in May 2023, so it's not due one this year. When is the election and how do I vote? Polling day takes place in the rest of Kent on 1 you have registered to vote you should receive a polling card in the post. This will tell you where to go to deadline has passed to apply for a postal vote and if you have applied for one you may have received it already. If you forget to post it before polling day, you can hand it in to your local polling station on polling need ID to vote, after the previous government changed the means you will need a valid form of photo ID, like a driving licence or a can find a full list of accepted forms of ID you don't have one of these, you can apply online for a Voter Authority Certificate, but it must be done before 17:00 on 23 votes will be counted on 2 May, with the final result due by the evening. Who has been in charge? Kent County Council has been Conservative-run for most of its fact, since it was created in its current format in 1974, it has had a Conservative leader for all but four 1993 and 1997 the authority was led by joint leaders from Labour and the Liberal 1997 the Conservatives won back their majority, which they have held onto since, although their authority was shaken in the 2013 election when Ukip became the second largest party on the council, before losing all their seats four years last election was in 2021, when Boris Johnson was still prime minister and the Conservatives were benefitting from a surge in support following the roll-out of the Covid Tories secured more than 70% of the seats on the year every seat on the council is up for election - meaning residents will elect 81 councillors across 72 divisions. But aren't our local authorities changing anyway? This could be the last time Kent residents are asked to elect county councils like Surrey, East and West Sussex have had their elections cancelled this is because they have been selected to be part of a priority programme for local government government wants to create unitary authorities in each county that are responsible for all local services and are overseen by a directly elected mayor - similar to London and is thought this different structure will pave the way for more devolution of power - meaning local leaders are given more money and and Medway had applied to be part of the priority programme, but were not as the next county council election will not be due for another four years, the authority in Kent could well find itself part of the re-organisation programme before the next term is up. Where can I find out more? You can find out more about the county council elections, including who is standing in your area, here.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Election campaign under way for Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottinghamshire has acted as something of a political bellwether in recent years - an indicator of trends across the UK as a 2017 county council election saw the Conservatives become the largest group but short of an overall majority - a mirror image of the snap general election of the same forward to 2021 - the last time the council was contested - and local Tories appeared to capitalise on the so-called "vaccine bounce" in the national polls as they secured the majority they were after.A lot has changed since then, but Nottinghamshire has seemed to stay roughly in step with the national won all but two of the county's parliamentary seats at the general election last summer as the party swept to after a turbulent period in government, do they still have the momentum to reclaim the council for the first time in 12 years, particularly in a county where there are so many other challengers?With less than three weeks until polling day, party leaders across Nottinghamshire have been telling us how they have been trying to convince people on the doorstep. At a glance, the Conservatives' victory in 2021 looked reasonably comfortable, winning more than twice as many seats as anyone else.A net gain of six saw them take charge of the authority outright, having previously run it in coalition with the Mansfield in the four years since, a combination of defections, by-elections and expulsions mean the maths in the council chamber is now rather Tory majority is wafer thin - lose just one seat and they would lose overall be without former leader Ben Bradley who stepped down in December, and whose absence could have bigger of the Tory gains in 2021 were in Mansfield - the town where Bradley was also Member of Parliament at the time - so any personal vote he had no longer exists in what could be a key Smith, who took over from Bradley in December, insists the Conservatives have a "proud track record of getting things done"."We've invested over £9m in rural bus connectivity, linking people up to towns like Newark but also jobs and leisure facilities," he said."We're investing over £17m into repairing our roads. We know it's the number one priority, we drive on the roads as well."He added they plan to build new schools and continue improvements in the council's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services, which were criticised by inspectors in 2023. 2021 was a particularly tough election for lost eight seats in Nottinghamshire overall, with former leader Alan Rhodes among the churn in the council chamber over the last four years hasn't been to their benefit of their number was among a group who quit the party en masse earlier this year, and in doing so relegated Labour to third largest group on the they have enjoyed recent electoral success with two of their councillors becoming Members of Parliament last Michael Payne and Michelle Welsh - now the MPs for Gedling and Sherwood Forest respectively - are not seeking re-election to the council, Kate Foale said Labour would "run the council responsibly, but with a people focus".She said they would would not spend money on "more fancy, swanky projects" like the new council headquarters which opened last month."Labour really cherish public services. They want to properly fund and properly invest in health and social care, they want to properly invest in children and families," she said."If you want decent schools, if you want a health service where you don't have to wait you want all those things that quite often we take for granted, you need to vote Labour." The Ashfield Independents were big winners in 2021, taking all 10 of the Ashfield seats - doubling their number from the previous the years since, they have extended their influence beyond the borders of the district.A further five independent councillors now sit with their group in the council chamber, taking their total to 15 and making them the official Jason Zadrozny said he hoped they can continue to expand, with a message that "independents do things differently"."It's not just red or blue's turn to rule. We've seen that big party politics has not done anywhere any favours and people are tired of that," he said."Independents can look at the facts of the matter, they can use common sense and deliver real change. We've proven that in Ashfield and it's time to do it across Nottinghamshire."He added "the primary focus is to get the finances of the council back on track".Zadrozny is due to stand trial on charges of fraud and tax evasion next denied the charges when he appeared before magistrates in 2023. Reform UK already has a foothold in Nottinghamshire, both at parliamentary level and on the council, but the county is now one of their target with Labour and the Conservatives, they are standing candidates in all 66 seats at this that to 2021, when they only contested eight only current councillor, John Doddy, joined the party after being expelled from the Tories for standing against them at the general said Reform was offering "something different"."Whenever I go out to see people, all I see in their faces is despair and hopelessness," he said."We're going to take the councils which are broken, which are in are taxing people more but delivering services that get less and less and less, and people have just had enough."I'm saying to them Reform UK is the answer to those problems." The Liberal Democrats' strongest performance in Nottinghamshire came back in 2009, when they won nine then, the county has been a tough nut for them to crack, winning just a single seat at each of the last two after long-standing councillor Steve Carr quit the party in 2023, they currently don't have any at Dem candidate David Watts acknowledges his party "can't go down" from their current position locally, but buoyed by a strong performance at the last general election, he hopes to win enough seats to be "an effective voice"."We want to fix the potholes, because the state of the roads is dreadful," he said."We want to make sure there's honesty and integrity in politics, and protect the green belt because central government seems to think it's open season for building on it."He added the Lib Dems were "completely opposed" to the reorganisation of local councils. The Green Party has never won a seat on Nottinghamshire County making record gains in the other parts of the country in 2023, however, they feel they are on the up and are standing more candidates in Nottinghamshire than ever hopeful of turning seats they have on district councils such as Newark & Sherwood and Rushcliffe into seats at county council party co-chair Ben Gray said winning two or three would be a good result, but added "having a green in the room really makes a difference"."First and foremost the Green Party is going to stand up for you. The Green Party is going to demand fair funding for councils," he said."We're going to the tell the government to stop wasting time and money with re-arranging local councils."Your Green councillors are going to be out there working hard for you, day in, day out."Polling day for the Nottinghamshire County Council election is 1 information and a full list of candidates is available on the council website.
