Integrated education: New integrated pre-school places at three sites

A total of 78 part-time pre-school places are being created at three integrated primary schools in Enniskillen, Moira and Ballynahinch.

The decision to create the places was made by Dr Mark Browne, the Department of Education permanent secretary.

It is the first made under the Integrated Education Act 2022.

The law means the department has to grow the number of integrated school places and the number of children being educated in them.

Twenty-six places are being created at Enniskillen Integrated Primary School and at nursery units at Rowendale and Drumlins integrated primary schools in Moira and Ballynahinch respectively.

However, a bid by a small Catholic school in Donaghadee to transform to an integrated school has been turned down.

Instead, it has been decided that St Anne's Primary School should close.

Announcing the approval of the pre-school places, Dr Browne said: "It is clear that parental demand for integrated pre-school education continues to grow and approval of these proposals will enable a greater number of children to access integrated pre-school education.

"The new Integrated Education Act (2022) places a duty on the department to aim to meet the demand for integrated provision and I am content that these three proposals demonstrate such demand."

On the decision that St Anne's Primary School should close, he said: "Schools proposing to transform to become integrated must be able to demonstrate that they can be sustainable under the criteria of the Sustainable Schools Policy.

"Having considered all the information and evidence for St Anne's PS, there is insufficient evidence that the continuation of the school would result in the delivery of sustainable provision for pupils.

"The closure of any school is a difficult decision, and I would like to thank all those associated with the school for their significant contribution to the education of the pupils who currently and historically have attended the school."

Last month, an organisation representing former pupils from integrated schools criticised the department's strategy to grow the sector as "an action plan with no action".

Adam McGibbon, from Integrated AlumNI, said there was a "snail's pace approach" to growing integrated education.