Skip to content

Road safety GCSE prepares students to be safe drivers

Cuts to funding for a GCSE course which teaches students road safety have been reversed.

Grants to schools to teach a GCSE in Motor Vehicle and Road User Studies were axed in 2023, alongside other swingeing cuts to education.

The Department for Instructure (DfI) had stopped providing textbooks and funding for schools to buy a moped to teach the subject.

But Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd has now reinstated the funding.

Read more here.

12 hours ago

Northern Ireland

Explore More

Keir Starmer speaking in the House of Commons

Government will try to block Adams' compensation - Starmer

Northern Ireland

Michael McBride with shirt sleeve rolled up getting a vaccine

Chief medical officer urges people to get flu vaccine

Northern Ireland

Older man sitting in an armchair wearing glasses and a white T-shirt. The chair is cream in colour and his glasses are black-framed.

'I want to be cared for in my own home'

Inside of a cinema, where work is beginning to upgrade it. The screen has been removed and there is a white board in its place. There are floor boards where a stage used to be

Redevelopment of cinema to maintain 'art deco charm'

Northern Ireland

Simon and Barbara pictured in front of school awards cabinet. Simon has short white hair and is wearing thin framed dark glasses. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt and light blue tie. Barbara has short brown hair with a fringe and is wearing a patterned black and cream shirt with a black top underneath. She is also wearing a gold and silver necklace.

Scheme launched in memory of girl who died of asthma

Northern Ireland

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

Black and white photo of Paddy Mayne

'There's no doubt about it, he was a natural leader'

Northern Ireland

Ed Sheeran with young musicians in Belfast

Ed Sheeran joins young rappers for impromptu performance

Albert, sitting present day, wearing a green beret with Royal Ulster Rifles insignia. He is wearing a green uniform with a number of poppy and military pin badges

Bangor man recalls extreme conditions in Korean War

Northern Ireland

A toilet with a waste bin beside it

Should children be potty trained before starting school?

Claire Wilmont has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue nurse's tunic. She is standing in a hospital corridor

Emergency department environment is undignified - nurse

Northern Ireland

A woman with shoulder length brown hair is wearing a yellow zip-up hoodie over a white T-shirt

Some pupils 'cannot wash' due to hygiene poverty

Northern Ireland

Two women, one wearing red boxing shorts and one wearing yellow boxing shorts. They are boxing each other in a boxing ring.

The women finding strength and confidence in the ring

Northern Ireland

A screenshot of the virtual reality game, the image shows a pair or red goalkeeper's gloved hands from the perspective of the player. A second player in a yellow kit is kicking a white ball towards a goal. They are in a virtual. empty stadium.

Is VR gaming the answer to too much screen time?

Northern Ireland

Three young men stand around a Christmas tree in the yard of a farm. A brown and white goat is leaning over a fence eating the tree.

Social farming creates opportunities for people with additional needs

Northern Ireland

Split screen of pupil who saved classmate's life and cctv of a lunch hall and the boy performing the Heimlich manoeuvre

Boy, 8, saves classmate with Heimlich manoeuvre

Kevin Murphy wearing a navy O'Neills branded coast and green zip jumper underneath. he is standing in front of rocks and grassy hills

Winter solstice shining new light on Slieve Gullion history

Northern Ireland

Craig Ballentine at Dublin Airport, he has short light hair and a beard. He is smiling at the camera and wearing an orange hoodie and a blue back pack

Return from Dubai 'a Christmas miracle'

Northern Ireland

Children from the school wave at their teachers from a tractor

North London school welcomes farm animal guests

Children from St James the Great school sing their Christmas song

School choir bids for UK Christmas number one

Darren George speaking from Spain. He is wearing a black tank top and a gold cross and chain necklace.

Brother's 'nightmare' after body found in Spain

The brother of John George speaks of family's heartbreak after a body was found in Spain.

Northern Ireland

Isobel looking at camera, a window with white shutters and a pink and cream flowery curtain behind her.

My son's heart 'had stopped' at the hospital doors

A mother describes her shock over long delays for an ambulance for her seriously ill son.

Northern Ireland

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old

Turning 100 with my neighbour: 'Awk they made a mistake!'

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old.

Northern Ireland

Manchester United footballer Kobbie Mainoo is on the left hand side speaking to John Nellis on the right. Mainoo is wearing a white hoodie with red lettering. Nellis is in a black t-shirt and has a beard and short, shaven hair

Belfast YouTuber rubbing shoulders with Mbappé

Northern Ireland

Boy playing esports, large computer game screen

Esports 'is the fastest growing industry in the world'

Young people at the special school in north Belfast are studying towards a qualification in esports.

Northern Ireland

Andrea Nelson speaking into press mics, she has short blonde hair and is wearing a pair of black glasses. She has a burgundy coat on with a neutral scarf. Behind her are three men dressed in long coats and scarves.

La Mon investigation 'really challenging for the families'

A Police Ombudsman report has been unable to explain why records from the original police investigation were lost.

Northern Ireland

Stella McLoughlin - a woman with blonde hair sits in a grey sofa looking at the camera.

'This has been an absolute scandal from start to finish'

Stella McLoughlin from the campaign group Ladies with Letters says what has happened was unforgivable.

Northern Ireland

A woman is speaking into a number of news microphones, branded with the logos of various broadcasters. She is reading a statement from a sheet of paper she is holding in both hands. She is wearing a brown jacket, pink shirt and has black glasses and long blonde hair.

'Heinous predator' sentenced for abuse offences

Police say David John Andrews was a "heinous predator" who groomed young girls across the UK.

Northern Ireland

Man draped in Syrian flag outside broadcasting house, red brick buildings in background, with crowd celebrating in background

'I'm going to go back and hopefully build Syria all over again'

Crowds have gathered in cities across the world as many Syrians celebrate the fall of the Syrian government.

Northern Ireland

Rapper Smack Jay stands in the middle of a classroom with a microphone in his hand. A number of schoolchildren wearing red school hoodies are watching him.

'The best way to make change is through music'

Rapper and activist Smack Jay from Zambia brought his flows to Rathcoole Primary as part of Human Rights Week.

Northern Ireland

Michael McKinney - a man with short white hair wearing frameless glasses is talking outside of a white stone building.

'Soldier F trial must proceed without delay'

William McKinney's brother Michael says "another step" had been taken for justice for Bloody Sunday families.

Northern Ireland

west belfast schoolboys in grey uniform sat around table looking at paperwrk

The schoolboys tackling violence against women and girls

Schoolboys in west Belfast have been learning about how to recognise and tackle violence against women and girls.

Northern Ireland

Olivia McVeigh - a young woman with long blonde hair looks at the camera while sat on a grey sofa in a white room

'I wanted to create a safe space for those with alopecia'

Olivia McVeigh, from County Tyrone, has been named on BBC's 100 Women 2024 list.

Northern Ireland

Kevin Sinfield - a man wears an orange headband with MND written on it in white and blue fonts while smiling. He is stood in front of a large blue MND banner.

Sinfield brings MND running challenge to Belfast

Kevin Sinfield is running 230 miles across the UK to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease.

Northern Ireland

Protesters holding up placards with the Palestinian flag on them standing at the front of a cathedral. A priest in purple robs is standing behind an alter behind them.

Priest responds to pro-Palestinian protest

About 30 pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted a service at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh.

Northern Ireland

DJ Próvaí wearing a green, white and orange balaclava

'Kneecap win is a victory for freedom of expression'

Belfast rap group Kneecap has won its discrimination case against the UK government.

Northern Ireland

Chloe Wilson, a woman with blonde hair

Sexual assault survivor wants to be voice for others

A survivor of sexual assault has said her future now centres on “victim empowerment”.

Northern Ireland

Emma, with long brown hair and wearing a purple hoody, looks to the side of the camera

How schools can help bereaved pupils with grief

Emma, who lost her brother, says it can be "overwhelming" to deal with grief alongside school work.

Northern Ireland

Tom Hadden sits on a grey sofa. He is wearing a stripey top.

'Rural road crash changed my life'

Tom Hadden was driving a bin lorry down a country road when another truck collided with his vehicle.

Northern Ireland

A woman with straight blonde hair looks to the side of the camera. She is wearing a blue t-shirt and necklace.

Parents of SEN young people call for support

Currently pupils with special educational needs do not receive automatic support to continue in education when they leave school.

Northern Ireland