Ms Mary Magner:

Anecdotally, there is no doubt that, as Mr. Christie, there has been some slippage. Our priority is the well-being of children, so that will be addressed immediately in every classroom. Primary teachers rose to the challenge over the summer and have upskilled immensely in the context of Seesaw and Google Classroom and providing learning for their pupils at home. It has been exceedingly challenging. It is an environment they were not used to and that they certainly were not trained for.

We are concerned about children in DEIS schools and those with special educational needs. We are concerned about the disengagement that pupils in DEIS schools might be experiencing, and reintegrating them to school will certainly be a challenge. Children with special educational needs are out of routine and will need additional support. We are delighted that the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, will be on board and available to us.