Education Minister Paul Givan has updated the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) to ensure summer-born children entering Primary 7 can continue receiving support for the entire academic year. The change applies to pupils who turn 11 between 2 July and 31 August and are starting Primary 7. Previously, these children were not eligible for Tax-Free Childcare and therefore could not access NICSS, even though they were in the same school year as their classmates.

Givan said the previous arrangement created an unintended anomaly where some children lost eligibility for childcare support solely because of their date of birth, despite remaining in the same school year as their peers. He described this as clearly unfair and said it placed additional pressure on a small number of working families. The minister added that the change responds directly to concerns raised by parents and childcare providers in Northern Ireland.

The revision applies only to the NICSS element of support and does not alter or extend eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare. Implementation measures will ensure eligible families receive the help due to them, including backdated NICSS payments where appropriate. Guidance for childcare providers and parents will be issued ahead of the change taking effect.

Separately, a new programme backed by up to £600,000 aims to provide extra literacy and numeracy support for Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils as well as help with the transition to post-primary education. The initiative is being delivered through the Department of Education's existing RAISE programme, which already operates in Ballymena and 17 other localities across Northern Ireland.

Schools can apply for funding to provide targeted support during the 2026/27 academic year, including one-to-one help, small-group sessions or team teaching. The Primary Literacy and Numeracy / Transitions Support Programme has two elements: a Primary Literacy and Numeracy Support Scheme and a Transition Partnership Scheme.

Participating primary schools will be able to receive between £1,000 and £4,000 for literacy and numeracy support, depending on the number of pupils enrolled in their Primary 6 and Primary 7 year groups. The Transition Partnership Scheme will strengthen links between primary and post-primary schools, with the aim of giving pupils a more structured move from Primary 7 into Year 8. Partnership clusters, led by a post-primary school and involving at least two feeder primary schools, can receive funding of up to £5,000.

Givan said improving literacy and numeracy and supporting children as they move from primary to post-primary education are key elements in laying foundations for improved educational outcomes. He added that the programme aims to improve attainment through additional one-to-one, small group or team teaching support to targeted pupils before entry to post-primary education. The programme will also facilitate a more structured transition experience for pupils moving from Primary 7 to Year 8, delivered through partnerships between post-primary schools and feeder primary schools.

Participation is voluntary, with schools asked to develop proposals tailored to their pupils or partnership cluster and deliver targeted interventions during the 2026/27 academic year. Expressions of Interest are now open, with schools required to submit applications by noon on Thursday 1 October 2026.

The new initiative is one of a series of cross-cutting projects being delivered through RAISE, alongside the programme's existing locality-led work. RAISE is funded through the Shared Island Fund and represents an investment of £20 million over two years, with the potential for further funding.