Children not educated at school may be educated at home. Information on home education is provided in the article on the ‘Organisation of the Education System’.

The Department of Education’s Extended Schools programme provides funding to what are known as Extended Schools (ES). The funding allows these schools, which serve the most disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland, to offer a wide range of services or activities outside of the normal school day to help meet the learning and development needs of pupils, their families and local communities.

Examples of services provided by Extended Schools include:

• stimulating activities, skills classes and additional learning support for children
• parenting and family support
• access to specialist support services
• community access to school facilities
• local adult learning and career development opportunities.

The ES programme was launched in June 2006.

Further information on the programme is available from the Department of Education and from NI Direct.

Schools not participating in the programme generally also offer some form of extended services through a combination of voluntary effort, parental contributions or alternative sources of funding. Examples can include study or learning support activities, such as breakfast and homework clubs, additional literacy or numeracy support, or opportunities to learn new skills.

For information on alternative provision (education other than at school) for children and young people who would otherwise not receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion or any other reason, see the article on ‘Support Measures for Learners’.

Article last reviewed April 2021.