A top line-up of comedy performers joined forces in the London Irish Centre last Friday (2 November) to raise awareness and money for the Integrated Education Fund.

The show was hosted by comedian and actress Wendy Wason and comedy stars Ed Byrne, Andrew Maxwell, Lou Sanders, Luke McQueen and Alice Fraser all gave up their time in support of the Fund.

As well as bringing some of the UK and Ireland’s best-loved comedy acts together, the night also highlighted the reconciliation and understanding that comes from educating children together regardless of their religion, race and cultural identity. (more…)

Today (31 October 2018) the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee hears from primary and secondary school principals, including Nigel Frith of Drumragh Integrated College in Omagh  as part of its inquiry into Education Funding in Northern Ireland.

In 2018/19 funding for schools in Northern Ireland was set through the Northern Ireland Budget Act which was passed centrally at Westminster. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is examining the levels of funding for education and the spending priorities at the Department of Education NI. (more…)

Pupils and staff at Killyleagh Integrated Primary School welcomed Baroness May Blood, Integrated Education Fund  Campaign Chair and Tina Merron, CEO of the Fund, when they visited to view the school’s new “Better Together” mural. This outdoor artwork was funded by the IEF Trust Programme as part of the school’s ‘Why we are “Better Together”’ project. The project was created to promote integrated education through pupil engagement in ICT and Art activities and also involved a poetry competition.  (more…)

The IEF and LucidTalk presented results of a micro-poll of parental views in the Holywood area on Wednesday 17 October in Holywood Family Trust. The poll has shown that Holywood parents would like a school for their children which is openly welcoming to pupils from all sections of the community – and a massive 89% of those questioned said they would support their local school becoming integrated. (more…)

The Ulster Hall was packed upstairs and downstairs on 27 September.  Tears of laughter flooded the building.  Even the brilliant Ulster Hall staff were in stitches – and they’ve heard them all!

The occasion?  Stand Up For Integrated Education, with Tim McGarry, David Meade, Wendy Wason, Neil Delamere and Colin Murphy. And Brexit wasn’t even mentioned! (more…)

The Northern Ireland Audit Office Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr Kieran Donnelly, today published his report to the Northern Ireland Assembly on the financial health of schools. The report examines the extent to which schools have been able to manage within their delegated budget for the period 2012-13 to 2016-17 and whether schools’ surpluses or deficits are within the limits set by the Education Authority. The report also considers the actions and initiatives being taken by the Department of Education and the Education Authority to address the financial issues currently facing schools. (more…)