TransformED NI: Transforming teaching and learning: a strategy for Educational Excellence in Northern Ireland
TransformED NI: Transforming teaching and learning: a strategy for Educational Excellence in Northern Ireland
TransformED NI outlines a comprehensive strategy for the transformation of teaching and learning in Northern Ireland. The strategy focuses on the core areas of curriculum, assessment, qualifications, school improvement and tackling educational disadvantage. Reform in each of these areas will be underpinned by significant investment in high-quality teacher professional development.
TransformED NI Executive Summary
In April 2024, the Department published the TransformED Delivery Plan which translates the strategy’s vision for educational excellence into actionable steps. It sets out a clear delivery approach, key delivery partners, indicative timescales and estimated costs to ensure effective implementation of each of the actions within TransformED.
The key elements of the strategy have been summarised as a ten-point plan for educational excellence, which aims to bring a new drive and coherence to the improvement of our system.
Each of these ten strategic commitments aims to learn systematically from the most effective and fastest improving school systems in the world and to tackle the weaknesses currently identified within our system.
The Department of Education hosted the TransformED School Leaders’ Conference in May 2025. The conference focused on key areas within the TransformED NI Strategy, including curriculum, assessment, accountability, improvement and professional learning.
TransformED School Leaders’ Conference
A TransformED magazine has been produced for school leaders and teachers, to help increase understanding and provide more information on key concepts within the TransformED strategy:
TransformED magazine - Issue 1
TransformED magazine - Issue 2
TransformED magazine - Issue 3
TransformED committed to prioritising the professional learning needs of the teaching workforce in Northern Ireland. The Department has established an innovative Online Teacher CPD Academy in partnership with InnerDrive, a UK leader in cognitive science-based educational training. The new initiative will deliver high-impact, evidence-informed professional development to Northern Ireland’s post-primary teachers.
Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) Fund
The TPL Fund aims to ensure all schools can access high-quality professional learning, providing schools with dedicated funding to support professional development over a three-year period. The £31 million investment will support the ongoing development of teachers and school leaders across Northern Ireland. This funding forms a key part of the Department’s TransformED NI Strategy launched in March 2025. The Strategy sets out a clear vision for transforming teaching and learning, with a strong emphasis on excellence, equity and efficiency.
To support planning, details of each school’s funding allocation are provided in the attached spreadsheets. These figures are intended to guide planning and should be viewed as indicative.
Guidance Document for Schools on the Operation of the TPL Fund 2025/26 - 2027/28
Please see below official guidance for the Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) Fund. This document outlines:
- The purpose and aims of the TPL Fund
- Funding allocations and eligibility criteria
- Strategic priorities for professional learning
- Approved expenditure categories
- Planning and reporting requirements
The TPL Fund represents a significant investment in teacher development, supporting improved teaching quality and pupil outcomes across Northern Ireland. All grant-aided schools are encouraged to engage with the guidance and use the TPL Planner to submit their annual strategy by 29th September 2025.
A summary leaflet which explains how schools can access and use the TPL Fund to support strategic staff development, can also be found at the link below.
TPL Fund Guidance Document and Summary Leaflet
For further support, schools can contact the Teacher Education and Professional Learning Team at teachereducation@education-ni.gov.uk.
Expansion of Teacher Induction
On 2 September 2025, the Department of Education announced the launch of an enhanced Teacher Induction Programme for the 2025/26 academic year. Developed in collaboration with the Education Authority (EA), this reflects the commitments outlined in the TransformED Strategy and Delivery Plan. This expansion marks the beginning of a three-year plan to strengthen support for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) and Teacher Tutors, ensuring a more structured and comprehensive professional learning journey.
To support the rollout of the enhanced programme, the following resources are available:
A Programme leaflet – this leaflet outlines key highlights, available learning opportunities and registration details. All schools have received a copy directly and it is also accessible to teachers via the C2k network.
Review of Teacher Induction Programme in Northern Ireland – this recent departmental review helped shape the enhanced induction offer and provides valuable insights into the evolving needs of ECTs.
Report on Review of Teacher Induction Programme in Northern Ireland - June 2025
Professional Learning Programme for Principals
The TransformED Delivery Plan includes a commitment to develop a professional learning programme for existing, experienced Principals. One element of this is the provision of a monthly newsletter to all school leaders in Northern Ireland to improve access to education research, with each edition of the leadership newsletter focusing on a specific aspect of leadership research.
Monthly Newsletter for School Leaders
- September 2025 Newsletter 1 - Defining Leadership
- September 2025 Interview 1 - Defining Leadership
- September 2025 Newsletter 2 - Leader vs Leadership
- September 2025 Interview 2 - Leader vs Leadership
October 2025 Newsletter - Cultivating Culture
October 2025 Interview - Cultivating Culture
November 2025 Interview - Building Relationships and Psychological Safety
Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Bursary Scheme
On 23 September 2025, the Department announced a pilot ITE Bursary Scheme. Commencing in September 2026, it will be introduced to incentivise high-calibre undergraduates and postgraduates to pursue teaching careers in subjects where recruitment challenges are most acute in Northern Ireland. These subjects are Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Computing, Technology & Design and Irish-Medium Education. Further details will be announced in the coming months. In the meantime, summary leaflets regarding the Bursary Scheme can be found in the links below.