Integrated School Essay Writing Competition

Schedule:  Deadline of 12noon on 7 October. 

Question: 

Integrated schools bring together children, staff and governors from all religious and cultural traditions within a single school community where they celebrate diversity and inclusivity.

The government has had a legal requirement to encourage and facilitate Integrated Education since 1989. To what extent has this requirement been fulfilled?

Areas to consider/research:

• The Education (NI) Act 1978 commonly known as the Dunleath Act
• The Education Reform (NI) Order 1989: statutory duty to ‘encourage and facilitate’ Integrated Education
• The inclusion of Integrated Education in the 1998 (Belfast) Good Friday Agreement
• The Stormont House (2014) and Fresh Start Agreements (2015)
• New Decade, New Approach (2022)
• Integrated Education Act (NI) 2022
• The Integrated Education Fund
• Council for Integrated Education
• The overall development of Integrated Education (numbers and growth) since 1981

*See further links and resources below.*

Guidelines for entry:

• Competition is open to pupils in Integrated Colleges from Year 11- 14 inclusive, in the 2024/25 Academic year
• Each essay must not exceed 2000 words
• Each essay must be focused on the theme
• Essays must use a consistent font and set the line spacing to 1.5 space throughout
• Plagiarism will not be tolerated
• Ensure that any quotes are referenced adequately, eg ‘The IEF website states..’
• AI generated submissions will be screened and disqualified from entry
• Judges decision is final

Judges:  Director of Fighting Words NI Hilary Copeland and author Jan Carson.

Prizes: 

• First Prize: £500
• Two Runner Up Prizes: £250 each

Plus engraved trophies.

For more information email emma@ief.org.uk

All applications must be emailed to emma@ief.org.uk by the deadline of 12noon on Monday 7 October, no late applications will be accepted.