Belfast Hospital School: Fears for future as management change proposed

That is according to a discussion document on the future of the Belfast Hospital School by NASUWT union members who work there.

The Education Authority (EA) has proposed that it takes over the management of the school in August 2023, rather than the board of governors. The EA said there would be no impact on the education of pupils. But the NASUWT document countered that the EA plan would have a "significant impact" on staff and pupils.

Belfast Hospital School has been operating in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children for about 50 years. It exists to ‘fill in gaps in education’.

The school team teaches primary and post-primary children who are admitted to wards and would therefore be out of school for a long period of time. They may be undergoing cancer treatment, have been in a road accident, or other illnesses.

The school also runs an exceptional teaching arrangements (ETA) service which means teachers can visit young people who are convalescing at home and cannot go to school. That can include children who have mental ill health and have been referred by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

There is also a service called Time Out for Positive Steps (TOPS) which teaches Year 11 and 12 children with emotional health and well-being issues and anxiety-based school refusal.

The Belfast Hospital School currently has a staff of 20 and 85 pupils.

The EA said: “As outlined in the consultation document, the proposal for Belfast Hospital School is to change to become part of an EA Managed Service. There is no proposed change to the model of service that is provided to children and young people. Children and young people will continue to have access to teaching as they have always done.”

But a petition calling on the Department of Education not to close the Belfast Hospital School and ensure the vital services that the school provides are properly funded, has been set up by some in the school’s community.

Mark Hewitt, manager of the TOPS service, said: “The Education Authority (EA) wants to close the Belfast Hospital School….Closure will be to the detriment of some of the most marginalised school students in NI. The EA has already significantly reduced teaching time for students and the amount of GCSE courses available and hospitalised young people now have to wait 20 days to see a teacher, up from three days.

"The decision lacks clarity and fails to set out the benefits of closing the school to the health and educational outcomes for vulnerable children and young children. It is strongly suggested that this is a cost saving measure.”

Alliance MLA Paul Bradshaw added: “We have been in contact with the Department and we have been assured there is no proposal to close the school. We remain concerned time is being taken up on an amendment to management which will have no impact on provision. One positive aspect which has come out of this, however, is it has enabled the public to demonstrate the strength of feeling there is in favour of the school.”