Category: Stranmillis News

Dr Sharon Jones, senior lecturer in Education Studies at Stranmillis University College, will lead a creative writing workshop, Blogging for Joy, at Seamus Heaney HomePlace on Saturday 7 March. 

Drawing on her experience as a writer and educator, Dr Jones will guide participants through the art of blogging, encouraging them to find and express the “marvellous in the ordinary” through words and images.  

Open to keen beginners, seasoned bloggers, and everyone in between, the informal, interactive session will include reflections on Dr Jones’s own blogging journey, opportunities to craft new content, and tips on thoughtful curation and creative communication.  

The workshop runs from 10.30 am to 1 pm. For booking and more information, visit the event page here. 

A new mixed-methods study funded by EPIC Futures NI and UKRI has highlighted significant challenges facing young people with special educational needs (SEN) as they transition from full-time school education into further education, training, employment or day-care provision in Northern Ireland. 

The research, led by Stranmillis University College’s Director of Research and Scholarship, Prof. Noel Purdy OBE, examined the range of post-school provisions currently available to young people with SEN, alongside the barriers, gaps and inconsistencies within the existing transition system. 

Drawing on evidence from young people, parents and carers, and professionals working across education and support services, the study found that post-19 transition pathways are often fragmented, unclear and insufficiently coordinated. 

Across all strands of the research, participants described a system that frequently fails to provide continuity, clarity or access to meaningful opportunities, leaving many young people and families struggling to navigate the move into adult life. 

The findings point to an urgent need for transformational change in how post-19 pathways are planned, delivered and evaluated. 

The report, entitled Transform: Exploring Pathways and Barriers for Young People with Disabilities, sets out five key recommendations to support more coherent and equitable transitions, including: 

• the development of a single, live, centralised mapping system of provision 

• legislative reform to introduce a statutory duty beyond age 19 

• increased investment in existing services 

• improved joined-up planning between government departments and agencies and a stronger commitment to listening to the voices of young people themselves. 

Overall, the study calls for a more coordinated and inclusive transition system that genuinely enables young people with SEN to thrive and achieve meaningful outcomes as they move into adult life. 

Download a copy of the report here.

 

On 29 January, Stranmillis University College celebrated the importance of ‘Teachers as Writers’, in a special event showcasing creativity, confidence and classroom practice of student teachers with an audience of fellow students, school literacy leaders and academic experts.  

The vibrant event, led by the Literacy team of lecturers Dr Gillian Beck, Diane McClelland, Dr Jill Dunn and Dr Sharon Jones, marked the launch of students’ writing in a series of publications, shining a spotlight on the imagination, craft and pedagogical insight developed across the College’s BEd Primary and Post Primary English programmes. 

Through live readings and multimedia presentations, students shared their stories, poems and reflections on their creative journeys, demonstrating that having confident teachers who write sits at the heart of effective teaching and learning. The Literacy Team are very proud of what their students have achieved, both personally and professionally, and the impact that their writing continues to have on the children that they teach.  

As part of the event, the College was delighted to also welcome keynote contributions from two leading figures in literacy and teacher education.  

Prof David Waugh, Professor Emeritus at the University of Durham, reflected on his  experience as a teacher, teacher educator and author, sharing insights from his work on literacy, inclusion and initial teacher education, as well as his unique experience of writing novels with groups of children.  

Prof Teresa Cremin CBE, Professor of Education (Literacy) and Co-Director of the Literacy and Social Justice Centre at The Open University, explored research-informed approaches to reading and writing for pleasure. Drawing on her extensive body of work, she emphasised the importance of volitional reading and writing in shaping teachers’ and children’s literate identities. 

The celebration took place during the UK’s National Year of Reading 2026, reinforcing the wider national focus on reading, writing and creative engagement.  

Speaking at the event, Mr John McCusker (ETI) stated that, ‘Writing transforms children from being consumers of words to creators of worlds’, confirming the value of teachers who write and inspire children to do the same.  

Dr Geraldine Maginness (DE; St Mary’s UC) congratulated the SUC Literacy Team and students on ‘their outstanding achievements, placing writing at the heart of their instruction’.

A Stranmillis University College lecturer is preparing to take a 15,000-foot leap of faith this February to raise vital funds for children’s education in India, ahead of a transformative international placement for student teachers. 

Jill Magennis, who is leading a Stranmillis University College team to India this spring, will complete a sponsored skydive with Skydive Ireland in support of Saphara, an education charity working with marginalised communities across India. 

12 Year 3 BEd students from Stranmillis University College and St Mary’s University College have been selected to take part in the programme and will travel to India in April. During the visit, students will work in partnership with teachers in Saphara’s schools, gaining first-hand experience of how education can transform lives in contexts of poverty. 

The group’s main placement will be at SNEHA Doon Academy in Dehradun, where more than 1,000 children from marginalised communities are educated. Students will support Literacy and Numeracy teaching, engage in professional dialogue with local teachers and deepen their understanding of how social, cultural and economic contexts shape schooling. The visit will also include time at Kaplani High School in the Himalayan region, further enriching students’ global and cultural awareness. 

Speaking ahead of the skydive, Jill said: 

 “I believe this amazing opportunity to visit India will be life-changing for our students and for the children and teachers they will work alongside. Education has the power to create opportunity, security and hope — and that’s why I’m quite literally jumping out of my comfort zone to support this important work.” 

Every £100 raised through the fundraiser will provide a full year of education for a child, covering school fees, uniform, shoes, books, stationery and daily meals.  

Crucially, this support also helps keep girls safely in education, protecting them from forced marriage and trafficking, while empowering them to reach their full potential. 

All funds raised will go directly to Saphara’s education programmes in India. 

Donations can be made via Jill’s fundraising page: https://saphara.enthuse.com/pf/jillmagennisjumpforsaphara  

Read more about the impactful work of Saphara here.