Fewer pupils on NI school rolls

Maggie Taggart
BBC NI Education Correspondent

There are falling pupils numbers

The number of pupils at schools in Northern Ireland has fallen by more than 5% since 2003, new figures show.

The latest Department of Education statistics also show a drop in pupils getting free school meals.

The number of pupils at primary school has dropped by almost 6%, with the post-primary decrease being 5%.

The change appears to bear out government predictions that the number of empty places in schools in Northern Ireland is on the increase.

However, there has been a small increase in the birth rate which will eventually impact on the number of pupils in schools and the number of under-fives attending pre-school education is rising.

The proportion of children on free school meals is falling, with Catholic pupils much more likely to be entitled to claim the meals.

The difference is particularly marked in grammar schools where 9% per cent in Catholic schools could get free school meals compared to only about 3% in other types of grammar schools.