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…)

The IEF is delighted to be able to congratulate Professor Alan Smith on being awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours.

Alan, who holds the UNESCO Chair in Education at Ulster University, was founding chair of the NI Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) and a founder Trustee of the IEF, serving on the board from 1992-1999. (more…)

This has been a very encouraging year for integrated education in Northern Ireland, despite the challenges of another year with no functioning Stormont Executive and continuing political uncertainty. (more…)

The Department of Education has published a cross-departmental Children and Young People’s Strategy 2019-2029.

The strategy sets out a strategic framework for improving the well-being of children and young people in Northern Ireland. It outlines how all government departments, agencies and those who provide children’s services will work together to deliver better outcomes for all children and young people and links directly to the draft Programme for Government outcomes, primarily ‘we give our children and young people the best start in life’. (more…)

There were magical scenes at Cliftonville Integrated Primary School yesterday (Wednesday 11 December) as P1 and P2 children shone in their nativity play in the presence of some VIP guests who have been supporting the thriving North Belfast school.

Parents, pupils and staff were joined by Baroness May Blood, Campaign Chair of the Integrated Education Fund, Alan Nappin of the ARN Foundation and Desmond Wilson of the Wilson Group. (more…)