Scope Articles

Time to address the brain drain

23 Apr 2021

During its short existence Northern Ireland’s only think tank Pivotal has made significant contributions to improving debate about some of the challenges we face.

Forest Schools: an idea whose time has come

12 Mar 2021

There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.

Time to count the cost of segregated education

25 Feb 2021

A review of Northern Ireland’s education system is due to get under way later this year.

Transfer tests are more in the spotlight than ever

19 Jan 2021

The post-primary transfer debacle appears finally to be over. What could have been a Covid-19 issue has become something more, thanks in large part to the Education Minister.

Holiday camps can tackle holiday hunger and be educational – but there is room to improve

Marcus Rashford MBE relied on free school meals - and has done pretty well in life

12 Jan 2021

Feeding hungry children should be uncontroversial. Combining this with activities to develop skills and knowledge sounds like a good idea – and work involving Children in NI shows promise.

Human Rights and Covid-19

7 Jan 2021

The NI Human Rights Commissioner’s latest Annual Statement looks at 2020, the pandemic, and any progress – or not – in the wider rights picture for NI, where children appear to be second-class citizens.

The "Wicked Problem" that remains unsolved

11 Dec 2020

England has a severe teaching crisis. For the past seven years it has failed to meet its recruitment targets for new teachers. Its training colleges can only supply 85% of those required for secondary schools.

Transfer tests headed for crunch time

Prof Siobhan O'Neill with Health Minister Robin Swann

7 Dec 2020

Calls to cancel this year’s post-primary transfer tests continue to mount – and the list of barriers to a fair testing process is growing. The Education Minister is gambling on everything going smoothly.

Pre-school segregation

27 Nov 2020

Stormont’s Education Chair Chris Lyttle said this week: “For an education system to separate children as young as five on the basis of community and religious background is socially and financially flawed.” That’s just the half of it.

To tackle bullying, we must understand it

17 Nov 2020

More than half of young people in Northern Ireland say they have been bullied in the past six months, according to research from the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum.

Pandemic transfer test debate lacks a resolution

3 Nov 2020

Even if the transfer test goes ahead, it might cause more problems than it prevents for an Education Minister who is wholly committed to academic selection.

Homework is complicated

20 Oct 2020

Can homework plug the learning gap? Work from Parenting NI indicates the benefits of homework are complicated – and there is no one perfect policy.

Younger voices feel sidelined during the pandemic

Ardoyne Youth Enterprise is running a writing competition for young people. There are many ways to get young people engaged with the world around them - and to have their voice heard.

22 Sep 2020

An NI Youth Forum survey asked young people about their experiences of, and thoughts about, lockdown. It highlights concerns about mental health and education – and about not being listened to.

Faith in education: religion and our schools

11 Sep 2020

The closer our segregated education system is scrutinised the more unjustifiable it appears.

Lockdown babies: how Covid-19 has impacted infants and their parents

2 Sep 2020

Today’s babies and infants are having a peculiar – and challenging – start to their lives. It has affected their behaviour, wellbeing and likely their development. They and their parents need more support.

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