Pupil representatives and staff from integrated schools joined politicians and the Integrated Education Fund at Stormont yesterday (Monday 20 January) to discuss the outcomes of a mental health conference for integrated schools. The conference last October brought together 154 people from integrated primary schools and colleges to consult on well-being in young people and on how to develop mental health support for pupils – and highlighted that the majority of young people there thought embarrassment would hold them back from seeking help. (more…)

Ulster University’s Transforming Education project has recently produced a briefing paper called “Isolated Together: Pairs of Primary Schools Duplicating Provision”. The report highlights the need to look at education provision in areas where there are pairs of schools of different management types, i.e. where a Controlled and a Catholic Maintained primary school are located within 1 mile of each other and at least 3 miles away from alternative provision. The report suggests: “Were these schools to find arrangements to remove duplication and to become more sustainable they would be more likely to avoid closures, to the benefit of all sides of the local communities.” (more…)

Department of Education release:

Every child deserves the best start in life and to be nurtured and supported to help them reach their full potential, Education Minister, Peter Weir has said.

The Minister has outlined his key priorities during visits to two schools which will benefit from the School Enhancement Programme (SEP).

Riverside Special School in Antrim and St John the Baptist’s Primary School in Belfast are two of the 18 schools which, the Minister announced in the Assembly this week, will advance in planning under the second call to SEP. (more…)

Department of Education release:

Education Minister Peter Weir has announced 18 schools which will advance in planning under the second call to the School Enhancement Programme (SEP).

Twelve primary schools, five post-primary schools and one special school will benefit from an estimated capital investment of £45 million. (more…)

Is Northern Ireland “moving on” from the Troubles, or “emerging” from conflict? Should we talk about the Good Friday or the Belfast Agreement? Are we ready to deal with the past – and is that the same as addressing it? And do you call it “Northern Ireland” or the North of Ireland?

These questions are raised and examined in a new book from a founder teacher and former principal of Lagan College. Dr Brian Lambkin’s Calming Conflict: Northern Ireland, Metaphor and Migration explores the language people choose to use and the political and social impact of words. Dr Lambkin also proposes a new educational resource for sharing histories – not just the Troubles, but family and local history stretching back centuries. This, he suggests, would help record and express individual and shared histories and might set us on the path to finding a common approach to discussing the past. (more…)

Sperrin Integrated College in Magherafelt has had a great start to the new year with the news that it is to increase its enrolment from September.

The Department of Education has approved the school’s development proposal to expand, increasing admissions from 80 to 100. The school will eventually have an approved enrolment of 600 pupils. A request to increase post-16 places was turned down, meaning that Sperrin IC will continue to offer 50 places in each of years 13 and 14. (more…)