AQW 29609/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the creation of a new Controlled Schools Unit.
Asked by Nick Mathison MLA on 1 July 2025
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 1 July 2025
- Answer due by
- 18 July 2025
- Answered
- 4 July 20253 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
I am pleased to report that work towards creating a Controlled Schools Unit (CSU) within the Education Authority (EA) is on target to establish this by September 2025.
My officials and the Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC) have been working in tandem with the EA on this. The EA have confirmed that the Controlled Schools Unit will be established by September 2025 and will be fully operational in early 2026, following further intensive engagement with the controlled school’s sector to gather insights and further shape the unit’s final structure and work programme. Therefore, at this juncture, the full-time equivalent number of staff has still to be confirmed. The CSU will be resourced by internal restructuring and via recruitment where required
A total of £1.2 million was ringfenced as part of the 2025/26 allocation to EA, to develop and create the CSU.