Education Minister, Peter Weir, approved Development Proposal (DP) 622 on 26 April 2021 after turning the same proposal down on 01 February 2021. Strangford Integrated College had requested reconsideration of DP 622, supported by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) and the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) and with legal assistance sourced via The PILS Project.

The proposal for Strangford Integrated College to grow year 8 pupils from 110 to 130, with an annual phased increase in the enrolment number from 670 to 760, and to take effect from 01 September 2021, was approved after the Minister reconsidered all the information. (more…)

Education Minister, Peter Weir, has denied parents the right to send their children to an integrated school. The development proposal that would have seen Ballyhackett Primary School outside Castlerock, become the second Catholic school to transform to integrated status was rejected by the Minister.

Responding to the Minister’s decision, Tina Merron, CEO of IEF, said:
‘This is a sad day for the parents, pupils and staff of Ballyhackett PS. We are deeply disappointed that the school, which has been at the heart of the local community for over 150 years, has been denied the opportunity to Transform to integrated status by the Department of Education.’ (more…)

We would like to invite you to our ‘Integration Works’ information event for principals, teaching staff, governors and parents who wish to find out more about Transformation. This is the process for a school to become integrated. A representative from the Department of Education will also be attending the event.

Date: 13 May 2021
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Zoom (details will be forwarded once registered.)
Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/PeuJ4znE83 (more…)

DE Release:

A public consultation seeking views on pre-school admissions has been launched.

The Department of Education’s Pre-School Education Programme provides every child in their immediate pre-school year (age 3 to 4) the option to have a year’s education.

Currently all pre-school providers are required to give priority to children from ‘Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances’ (as defined by the Department) before considering applications from other children. Approximately 16% of children are currently prioritised in this way. (more…)

The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) in Northern Ireland has expressed its delight that Carrickfergus Central Primary School will transform to integrated status from September 2021.

Education Minister, Peter Weir, approved a development proposal for change on Monday 19th April following an overwhelming 86% of parents voting in favour of the integrated move.

Carrickfergus Central will now join Acorn Integrated Primary School and Ulidia Integrated College in a growing network of integrated schools in the Carrick area, reflecting strong parental demand for more integrated education. The IEF, working closely with the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, have been pleased to support the school on its journey to integration. (more…)

A poll of parents in the Derry~Londonderry area has shown that most would prefer a school for their children which is openly welcoming to pupils from all sections of the community, with 71% confirming that they would support their local school becoming integrated. (more…)