About this publication scheme
Under Section 19(1) of the Freedom of Information Act every public authority is required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information and whether or not a charge will be made for the information.
The Information Commissioner, who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, has drawn up a Model Publication Scheme and a Definition Document for all public sector organisations. The Department has formally adopted the Information Commissioner’s model publication scheme. The scheme is organised into seven classes of information which are set out below. This structure aims to save you time and effort when searching for information.
You can also use our Publications search which contains all the documents we have made available.
Who we are and what we do
What we spend and how we spend it
- Department of Education Budget Allocation 2015-2016
- Department of Education Savings Delivery Plan
- Schools' finance
- Voluntary Grammar Schools Statement of Accounts (S40)
- Audit and accountability in schools
- Youth capital funding
- Community relations
- Classroom 2000
- Annual Report and Accounts
- Financial statements
- Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) Guidance on Managing Public Funds
What our priorities are and how we are doing
- Programme for Government
- DE Corporate Plan
- DE Business Plan
- Statistics
- Extended schools
- Full service programmes
- Youth service
- Independent review of home to school transport
How we make decisions
- Consultations
- Equality consideration
- Policies being screened
- Policy guidance
- Digital transformation service
- Digital transformation in schools
- Business cases and PPE
Our policies and procedures
- Data security policy
- Common funding scheme
- School admissions
- Compulsory school age
- Class sizes in Foundation and Key Stage 1
- Class sizes in practical subjects
- School holidays
- Exceptional closure days
- Length of school day
- School development planning
- School development days
- Becoming a school Governor
- Curriculum and assessment
- Raising standards: Every school a good school - a policy for school improvement
- Raising standards: Count, read: succeed - a strategy to improve outcomes in literacy and numeracy
- Education works campaign
- Charter for Inspection
- ETI service standards
- Complaints - DE
- Complaints - ETI
- Transport to school
- School admissions policy
- School admissions guidance
- School meals
- School uniform
- Additional educational needs - newcomers
- Additional educational needs - education of Traveller children
- Review of special educational needs and inclusion
- Special educational needs (SEN) CPD literacy project
- Resource file for schools to support children with special educational needs
- Priorities for youth
- Community use of schools
- Grant recovery on disposal following the closure of schools
- Raising concerns at work (whistleblowing) policy
- Learning to learn
- Sure start
- Pre-school education programme
- Polasaí Gaeilge na Roinne Oideachais / DE language policy for Irish
Lists and registers
- Disclosure log
- Lists of schools and educational institutions (Schools +)
- Data protection public register
- Register of interests
- Register of gifts and hospitality
Circulars and guidance
- Circulars
- Curriculum
- Target setting and benchmarking in primary and post primary schools
- Inspectorate public information
- Teachers' pay and conditions
- Pupil support guidance - supporting pupils with medication needs
- Pupil support guidance - standards and guidance for promoting collaborative working to support children with special needs
- Pupil support guidance - report of the transitions inter-departmental working group
- Special educational needs (SEN) public information
- Review of special educational needs and inclusion
- Special educational needs resource file for schools
- Advice for parents - behaviour at school
- Pupil behaviour and school discipline
- Child protection
- Suspensions and expulsions
- News releases
- Entitlement framework
Alternative formats
The Publication Scheme is available in a range of alternative formats upon request to the Departmental Information Manager, to whom requests for printed copies should also be directed.
Fees and charges
In general, DE does not intend to charge for the release of any information covered by its Publication Scheme, except for full Research Reports and certain HMSO priced publications, when payment will be required in advance. Information accessed and downloaded from our Internet site is, of course, free from any charge by DE, although users will have to meet any charges by their Internet service provider.
DE reserves the right to review the position regarding charging in light of the overall cost for supplying information.
Crown copyright and licensing
The material on this site is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated.
You may use and re-use the information featured on this website (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence with only a few conditions.
Information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Therefore information you receive which is not subject to Crown copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. You must ensure that you gain their permission before reproducing any third party (non-Crown copyright) information.
Related publication schemes
DE sponsors 9 Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) each of which is responsible for producing its own Publication Scheme.
Education Authority
The Education Authority (EA) was established on 12 December 2014, following the Royal Assent of the Education Act (Northern Ireland) Act 2014. The Assets, Liabilities and Staff from the five Education and Library Boards (ELBs) and the Staff Commission transferred to the EA on 1 April 2015.
Education Authority Offices
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)
CCMS is responsible for advising DE and the Education Authority on matters relating to Catholic maintained schools, for the employment of teachers in these schools; and for providing advice and information to their trustees, Boards of Governors, principals and staff.
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA)
CCEA provides advice on, and support for, what is taught in schools and colleges in Northern Ireland and how it is assessed.
General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI)
GTCNI is a statutory, independent body representing the professional interests of teachers. It advises DE and employing authorities on issues such as training and career development, performance measurement and teaching standards.
Youth Council for Norther Ireland (YCNI)
YCNI’s primary focus is the provision for and the interests of children and young people aged 5-25 years.
The Council for Irish Medium Education (Comhairle na Gaelscolaichta )
The Council for Irish-Medium Education was set up in 2000 by the DE to promote Irish-medium education.
Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE)
NICIE was established to encourage young people from all communities to learn, with and from each other, respect and mutual consideration.
Middletown Centre for Autism
The Middletown Centre for Autism is a north south project that is jointly supported by the Department of Education in the north and the Department of Education and Skills in the south. The Centre delivers three core services in each jurisdiction:
- multi-disciplinary learning support and assessment to referred pupils with the most complex forms of autism
- a range of autism training courses targeted towards educational professionals and parents
- a rolling programme of autism research
Tribunal NDPB – Exceptional Circumstances Body (ECB)
The Exceptional Circumstances Body (ECB) is a Tribunal Non-Departmental Public Body established and funded by the Department of Education in accordance with Article 16A of the Education (NI) Order 1997 and the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations (NI) 2010. The purpose of the Body is to consider cases where an applicant claims that their child has exceptional circumstances which mean that he/she must attend a particular post-primary school.