Givan launches RAISE funded holiday revision scheme to support exam preparation
Date published:
Education Minister Paul Givan has today provided guidance to schools on how they can access funds to meet the costs of providing a Holiday Revision Scheme.
Delivered through the RAISE Programme, the Holiday Revision Support Programme will provide £400,000 in funding during the 2025/26 academic year. The initiative will assist schools who volunteer to run a revision scheme during the Halloween or Easter holidays to provide additional support for pupils preparing to sit external examinations.
Paul Givan said:
“Over recent months, schools have been expressing interest in running revision schemes over the Halloween holidays, which reflects the dedication of our teaching workforce to helping every child reach their full potential.
“To support schools in providing this additional support, we have developed a new RAISE cross-cutting initiative and are today issuing guidance and advising schools of the potential funding available. This will help to ensure that pupils who need additional help, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, receive extra tuition and resources.
“Structured revision sessions during school holidays offer pupils valuable opportunities to strengthen exam techniques, reinforce subject knowledge and build confidence. They also help to level the playing field, especially for our most vulnerable learners who maybe lack access to private tutoring, educational resources, or a supportive home learning environment.”
Schools who choose to participate will be reimbursed for costs incurred of between £1,000 to £2,000 based on the size of their Year 12 enrolments.
Schools will also be offered access to funding to run a scheme over the Easter 2026 holidays immediately before the main examination period.
For more information on the holiday revision scheme, visit https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/holiday-revision-support-programme-202526.
Notes to editors:
- RAISE will operate in 18 areas across Northern Ireland, supporting the Department of Education’s vision that “every child is happy, learning and succeeding" while tackling educational disadvantage and increasing aspiration. RAISE Strategic Area Plans will be complemented by a series of cross-cutting initiatives that will span across RAISE areas and beyond to address common issues and complement locality led projects.
- The RAISE Programme is funded through the Shared Island Fund and represents an investment of £20million/€24million over the next two years, with the potential for further funding.
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