The Department of Education today launched a public consultation seeking views on the current Supporting Newcomer Pupils’ policy.

A ‘Newcomer pupil’ is a pupil who speaks a different language at home than the one used in their school, and who needs extra help to understand the language used in their school. In the region of 16,000 pupils are currently classed as Newcomer pupils which is 4.4% of the school population here. (more…)

Parents at Bangor Central Nursery School have voted overwhelmingly to take the pre-school facility on the path to becoming officially integrated.

The school’s principal and board took the step of balloting parents after they found evident interest in integration among the school community. The vote (run by Electoral Reform Services between 24 May and 07 June 2019) showed 97% support for integration through the process known as “transformation”. (more…)

Students from three integrated schools were among the 22 NI recipients of the Diana Award yesterday (03 June 2019), an accolade presented to young people in recognition of inspirational social action or humanitarian work. The scheme, established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, is now in its 20th year. Awards are given out by the Diana Award charity with the support of the Princess’ sons, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex.

The awards were presented by Diana Award CEO Tessie Ojo at a ceremony in Stormont. (more…)

More children will experience integrated nursery education after the Department of Education approved an increase of 26 additional nursery places at Mill Strand Integrated Primary School in Portrush. The additional nursery places will be available in September this year, replacing voluntary playgroup provision at the school site and supplementing the 26 existing nursery places. (more…)

Omagh Integrated Primary School welcomed friends and supporters to the official opening of the children’s centre at the new integrated campus last Wednesday (22 May). John Fitzpatrick, hotelier and chair of the Ireland Funds, flew in especially to join Baroness May Blood, IEF campaign chair, to help celebrate the new facility, which he has supported from its inception.

Last week saw the official opening of the new 14-classroom primary school and a new nursery building, sited next to Drumragh Integrated College. (more…)

Two integrated schools in north Belfast welcomed some special visitors yesterday (20 May) to show them the work their pupils had been doing through the IEF Trust Programme. Sir Trevor Pears (Executive Chair) and Bridget McGing (Deputy Director) of the Pears Foundation, which supports the Trust scheme, met children and young people at Hazelwood Integrated College and Cliftonville Integrated Primary School to hear at first hand how the Foundation has helped with the development and exploration of the integrated ethos in many schools in the area. (more…)