# The Education (School Development Plans) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 S.R. 2026/106 · made 4 June 2026 · revised to 1 August 2026 These Regulations, which are made under Article 13(3) of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, relate to school development plans in grant-aided schools. Made under: Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (Article 13, Article 90) PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/education-school-development-plans-regulations-northern-ireland-2026/pdf/nisr_20260106_en.pdf; NI Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/education-school-development-plans-regulations-northern-ireland-2026/pdf/nisrem_20260106_en_001.pdf ## Introductory text Education Made 4th June 2026 Coming into operation 1st August 2026 The Department of Education, in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 13(3) and 90(3) of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, makes the following Regulations: ## 1 Citation and commencement These Regulations may be cited as the Education (School Development Plans) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 and come into operation on 1st August 2026. ## 2 Revocation and saving (1) The Education (School Development Plans) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 are revoked. (2) The Education (School Development Plans) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 continue to apply to school development plans prepared or last revised before 1st August 2026. ## 3 Application These Regulations apply to school development plans prepared or revised by the Board of Governors of a grant-aided school, in pursuance of the requirements of the scheme of management for the school under Article 13(1) of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, on or after 1st August 2026. ## 4 Matters to be addressed in school development plans Every school development plan is to include a concise statement of: (a) the school’s vision and ethos; (b) the context of the school, to include the particular circumstances, conditions and characteristics of the environment within which the school operates, together with any material opportunities or challenges arising therefrom; (c) the evaluation and evidence that informed the school development plan; (d) the school’s high-level areas of focus for school improvement across the next three years as identified through (c) to achieve the school’s vision and in line with any directives from the Department; (e) a set of actions for delivery in the forthcoming academic year. ## 5 The period for which a school development plan is to have effect Subject to regulation 7 a school development plan prepared or revised in accordance with these Regulations is to have effect for a period of three years beginning with the date on which the preparation or the last revision of the plan was completed by the Board of Governors. ## 6 Publication of a school development plan A school development plan must be published on the school’s website annually and a copy must be submitted to the Education Authority on request. ## 7 Monitoring, review, and revision of school development plan (1) The Board of Governors of a grant-aided school is to monitor and review the progress made during each school year against the school development plan and revise it as they consider necessary. (2) Without prejudice to paragraph (1), the Board of Governors of a grant-aided school is to revise the school’s development plan – (a) in respect of the set of actions for delivery required by regulation 4(e), annually; (b) in respect of the matters specified in regulation 4 (a) – (d), no later than 3 years beginning with the date on which the preparation or last revision of the plan was completed; (c) following an inspection of a school under Article 102 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, no later than 6 months from the date on which the report on such an inspection is published by the Department. ## Signature Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Education on 4th June 2026 L.S. Cynthia Currie A senior officer of the Department of Education ## Explanatory note (This note is not part of the Order) These Regulations, which are made under Article 13(3) of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, relate to school development plans in grant-aided schools. Regulation 2 revokes the Education (School Development Plans) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010. Regulation 4 sets out the matters to be dealt with in a school development plan. Regulation 5 stipulates the period for which a school development plan is to have effect. Regulation 7 requires Boards of Governors to annually monitor, and review progress made against the school development plan, including to prepare annually a set of actions to be delivered in the forthcoming academic year. It also requires a school development plan to be revised after three years or no later than 6 months following the date of publication of a report of an inspection of a school carried out under Article 102 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2026/106 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/education-school-development-plans-regulations-northern-ireland-2026 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.