Review of schools vetting system

New laws for schools in England will apply to NI

The Department of Education is urgently reviewing its guidance on who can work in schools in Northern Ireland.

It follows an announcement that the UK government will rush through laws to tighten up restrictions on sex offenders working in English schools.

The Department of Education in NI said the new legislation, known as the Bichard Bill, will also apply in NI.

A cross-departmental team is being established to co-ordinate the work in Northern Ireland.

The current vetting arrangements used by the department have been in place in schools in Northern Ireland since 1990.

The vetting identifies anyone with criminal convictions, including offenders who are required to give their details to the police.

The PSNI said that no-one had been identified since 1997 which was when the requirement was first introduced.

The move to rush through the legislation in England followed the revelation that ministers had backed the appointment of a PE teacher even though he had a police caution for accessing child porn.

Paul Reeve had been cleared to work at Hewett School in Norwich.

Education Minister Ruth Kelly said a "small number" of similar cases in England were now being reviewed.

The Tories said ministers had been too slow to put into force proposals made in the wake of the Soham murders.