On 10 April 2025, Mill Strand Integrated Primary School and Nursery (MSIPS&N) in Portrush welcomed a very special visitor when the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, came to meet pupils, staff and founding parents on what was the 27th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. 

Mill Strand IPS and Nursery took the opportunity to give MP Hilary Benn a tour of the new school building and Nursery Unit.  The £12.5 million investment was provided through the Fresh Start Agreement.  Fresh Start funding forms part of the UK Government's commitment, as part of the Fresh Start and Stormont House agreements, to deliver new capital funding to support shared and Integrated Education.  The new school build was completed in July 2024 and is comprised of 14 classes and a double nursery unit, which will provide an Integrated Education for 420 pupils in the Portrush area.

Callum Hannigan, Principal of Mill Strand IPS and Nursery, commented:

“Mill Strand IPS and Nursery was delighted to have the opportunity to show MP Hilary Benn around our new school building on such a significant day.  We were delighted to introduce the Secretary of State to our pupils, staff and founding parents.

This new building is the culmination of a twenty year long journey and marks a real milestone for the school.  The new school has retained a sense of its history, identity and core values as depicted on the murals that dominate the façade of the school. We were delighted to be able to show the Secretary of State these murals and talk about the history and also our plans for the future of Mill Strand IPS. 

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to visit Mill Strand IPS and Nursery on such an auspicious day, and especially for me and the current pupils to hear the moving story of the school’s founding by a group of parents and others who wanted an Integrated Education for their children. 

This Government is unapologetic in its support for more Integrated Education in Northern Ireland so that children from different backgrounds can learn together, better understand one another and become friends.”

Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), and Sean Pettis, Chief Executive Officer of the Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) were also present at the visit:

“The IEF and NICIE are delighted that the Secretary of State was able to take time out of his busy schedule to visit Mill Strand IPS and Nursery and meet with the pupils, staff and founding parents on the 27th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. There is no better way to learn about Integrated Education than by meeting the children who experience it each day.

The Northern Ireland Office has provided generous support to Integrated Education through both our organisations and we are extremely grateful for that support.  Fresh Start funding has enabled this fantastic new school build and we look forward to watching Mill Strand IPS and Nursery continue to thrive in its new state-of-the-art premises.”

Education Minister, Paul Givan has officially opened a new, state of the art school at Phoenix Integrated Primary School, Cookstown. The £7.3 million project, funded through the Fresh Start Programme supported by the UK Government, will provide a new seven class-base school and single nursery unit.

Speaking at the event, Education Minister Paul Givan said: “I welcome the opportunity to be here and celebrate the official opening of these magnificent new facilities.  The investment of over £7.3 million will help to improve the school experience for pupils, staff and the wider Phoenix Integrated Primary School community now and for years to come.   The opening of any new school building is something to be celebrated and these new facilities can only inspire children from the Cookstown area and beyond.”

The Minister continued: “I would like to commend staff, pupils, parents and the Board of Governors for their perseverance and patience over the last number of years as the project team has taken the work through the various stages to where we are now. A fantastic, new, state of the art building. I wish the staff and school management every success for the future in their new facilities as they advance on their education journey.”

Construction on the site began in January 2023 and was completed in August 2024.

The ASPIRE PEACEPLUS project, which will build positive connections between children and young people from different socio-economic, cultural, and political backgrounds, was launched at Monaghan Peace Campus, in County Monaghan on Tuesday, 8th April 2025.

ASPIRE (Advancing Shared Partnerships through Inclusive Relationships in Education) is led by the Education Authority (EA), alongside Léargas, Early Years- the organisation for young children, National Childhood Network and the Fermanagh Trust. The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Through collaboration between and within pre-schools and schools ASPIRE will promote good relations and empower children and young people to contribute to a more cohesive, peaceful and prosperous society.

 The project, which will receive €34.5m (£29m) in PEACEPLUS funding from the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), aims to engage with up to 110,000 pupils and 1,761 educators in long term cross-sectoral and cross-border partnerships over the next four years. Project partners will also work with stakeholders to harness digital technology to develop and deliver innovative and creative programmes and resources for pupils, educators, and wider communities.

LucidTalk has revealed the results of their 2025 Northern Ireland-wide attitudinal poll on education.  65% of respondents agreed that Integrated Education should be the main model for our education system in Northern Ireland.

Polling was carried out by Belfast based independent polling and market research company LucidTalk, on behalf of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF).  Over 2,300 responses were collated, and the poll was balanced by gender, age-group, area of residence, and community background, to ensure it was demographically representative of Northern Ireland today.

The poll also indicates 69% of people agree that the Department should proactively support the amalgamation of schools from different sectors.  To date there has only been one cross sectoral amalgamation of schools following Ministerial approval to establish Causeway Academy from September 2026, a new Controlled Integrated College incorporating pupils from Dunluce School, Coleraine College and North Coast Integrated College.  Other research suggests that around 30% of schools in Northern Ireland have enrolment figures which fall below the Department of Education’s threshold for sustainability and with this in mind researchers from Ulster University have designed a ‘Future Schools Toolkit’ supporting communities who wish to explore whether there might be a more sustainable approach to school provision in their local area at primary and post-primary level.

Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), commented on the results:

“The result of this poll highlights that the high level of support for Integrated Education from the people of Northern Ireland remains steadfast and strong.  Recent research from Professor Tony Gallagher and Queen’s University Belfast revealed that on average less than 2% of pupils that currently attend a Catholic Maintained School identify as Protestant, with less than 9% of pupils that identify as Catholic attending Controlled schools*.  In general, Integrated schools across Northern Ireland have been able achieve a significant religious mix of pupils, along with those who do not identify with either category.  Given high levels of social segregation, there will always be locations where achieving a reasonable balance is challenging but also important is that Integrated schools intentionally support, protect and advance an ethos of diversity, respect and understanding between those of different cultures and beliefs and of none.  School governance that reflects such diversity is vitally important, as governance plays such a key role in setting the ethos of any school".

Full report available here.

* Tony Gallagher’s 2024 research available online here.  

Integrated Education continues to grow annually, with more schools than ever exploring the process of Transformation to Integrated status. The feedback from schools that have transformed in recent years is that the process offered them a chance to recognise and build upon their current diversity and shared vision for their school, as well as responding to growing parental demand for Integrated Education.

The Integrated Education Fund, in partnership with NICIE is hosting two Integration Works events in March, one for principals and the other for Governors.  The events are designed to help schools find out more about Integrated Education and the process of Transformation.  They will include input from Principals of existing Integrated schools, as well as those who are currently going through the Transformation process and will provide opportunities for discussion and questions.  These events will be a useful source of information and engagement for any school considering Transformation as a possible option for the future.

Event 1 Integration Works 2025 - Dunadry Hotel

Thursday 13 March 10am-3pm

Financial support for sub cover will be provided to enable staff to attend the event at a fixed rate of £229 per person which can be claimed via a form from IEF.

Register online here.

Event 2 Integration Works Governor Event 2025 - The Rabbit Hotel

Thursday 27 March 7pm-9pm

Register online here.

If you have any questions about either event, please contact Jill Caskey at the IEF by emailing jill@ief.org.uk or calling 028 9069 4099.

The Education Authority (EA) and the Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) are delighted to launch a new self-evaluation tool to help all Integrated schools, regardless of age or management type, evaluate the nature, extent and quality of their Integrated ethos.  

A Framework for Integrated Education, created by the EA and NICIE provides a three-phase developmental pathway for Integrated schools based on the key characteristics of school improvement and underpinned by the Statement of Principles for Integrated Education.   It covers a comprehensive series of Integration Indicators which are intended to support reflection and self-evaluation by encouraging conversations about Integrated Education across all levels of the school community.  

The Framework’s focus on supporting Integrated schools to engage with ethos and practice reflects the Education Training Inspectorate’s (ETI) current emphasis on school vision and culture and will assist Integrated schools in responding to the Inspectorate’s new core questions.  It is particularly relevant to schools which are involved in the process of Transformation, but established Integrated schools that are experiencing significant changes in staff or leadership may also find it a useful resource.  

EA Sectoral Support and NICIE have deliberately designed the Framework to fully complement NICIE’s Excellence in Integrated Education Award.  An Integrated school actively engaged with the Framework will be in a strong position to map its progress across to the Excellence in Integrated Education Award (EIEA) audit tool in preparation for further development work and external assessment. 

Collectively, both resources provide a detailed guide that Integrated schools can use to grow, develop and sustain a recognised high level of quality integrated practice.

You can access the Framework on the EA Integrated Education Hub here A Framework For Integrated Education 

For further information contact Frances Donnelly at frances.donnelly@eani.org.uk or Cliodhna Scott-Wills at cscott-wills@nicie.org.uk

The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) was delighted to host a very special event to celebrate ‘Journeys of Transformation’ on Thursday 30 January 2025 at the Harbour Commissioner’s Office in Belfast.

This event showcased the challenges and achievements of school communities across Northern Ireland which have transformed or are in the process of going through the Transformation process to Integrated status.  ‘Journeys of Transformation’ highlighted the positive impact that Integrated Education has on students, schools and society in building peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, whilst reflecting on the commitment and work involved in the ongoing process.

Jim Fitzpatrick chaired the event, which heard from Paul Caskey (IEF CEO), Sean Pettis (NICIE CEO), Paul Close (Education Authority, Head of Shared Education & Sectoral Support) and included personal experiences from Principals of three schools who have recently undergone the Transformation process.  These schools covered all levels of education starting with Brefne Integrated Nursery School (INS) in North Belfast, which was the first nursery school to transform to Integrated status.

Victoria McGimpsey, Principal of Brefne INS, reflected:

“In the heart of our nursery, we nurture not just young minds, but a shared understanding and respect for one another’s differences, laying the foundation for a shared future.”

Next Barry Corr, Principal of Seaview Integrated Primary School (IPS) in Glenarm, shared his experiences as his school was first Catholic school to transform to Integrated status.  He talked of how they worked as a school to welcome those from non-Catholic background, ensuring the school catered for the whole community.

Finally, the event heard from Integrated College Glengormley’s Principal Ricky Massey who commented on the huge difference in the diversity within the school body and the increase in enrolments since the school became Integrated.

Watch highlights from the event at https://www.ief.org.uk/2025/02/04/journeys-of-transformation/ 

A new directory outlining the EA Service Eligibility for Integrated schools (Controlled and GMI) is available here:

Following approval from the Minister of Education in April and June 2024, Lurgan Model and Cairnshill PS, Belfast are celebrating their Transformation to Integrated status.  Principal of Lurgan Model IPS, Neil Campbell described how Integrated status 'reaffirms and strengthens our inclusive ethos as a school where all communities, cultures and backgrounds are welcomed and cherished' while Joanne Currie, Principal of Cairnshill IPS highlighted how she was looking forward to 'developing a long-lasting legacy of togetherness and success for future generations by joining the growing community of Integrated schools'.  As of September 2024 there are 73 Integrated schools with approximately 28,500 pupils.  This represents some 8% of the school-going  population.

As part of the lead-in to the opening of Causeway Academy, the staff teams of Coleraine College, Dunluce School and North Coast Integrated College had a shared development day on 27th August 2024 at Ulster University. The day was an opportunity for the staff teams to meet each other and to meet the Principal Designate, Ruth Harkness.

The session focused on ‘Anti-Bias Approaches in Education’, a core strand of Integrated ethos, built around the themes of Identity, Diversity, Justice and Activism. This involved exploration of the valued contribution that each staff member makes and learning together about developing Anti-Bias approaches within their current role and in preparation for the new Controlled Integrated school.

Ms Harkness said: “I am proud to highlight the work undertaken to fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment. The recent development day on ‘Anti-Bias Approaches in Education’ emphasis our dedication to the themes of Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Activism. With these values, we are dedicated to nurturing a school where everyone can excel and make a positive contribution.”

The Department of Education has given the go ahead for the establishment of a new co-educational, 11-18, non-selective Controlled Integrated post primary school in Coleraine, which will be developed in partnership with Ulster University.  The new school, an amalgamation of North Coast Integrated College, Coleraine College and Dunluce school will come into effect from 1 September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.  It will have an admissions number of 170 and an enrolment number of 1000.

The proposed college is a first for Northern Ireland.  Building on the strengths of the three existing schools and working alongside UU, the Causeway Project will provide a compelling and pioneering educational offer for young people in the Causeway area.  Pupils will receive a holistic education as individuals and contributors to society and the environment.  This will ensure inclusive academic, technical and vocational opportunities for students to reach their potential, providing accessible pathways for all.

The Shared Education and Sectoral Support team looks forward to being a part of this exciting new venture and working with all partners to support the development of the Causeway project. 

The Good Relations Week 2023 Event Listing is now live at https://goodrelationsweek.com/events/ with a packed programme of face-to-face event, virtual events, and digital content from a diverse range of groups and organisations across the region.

Ulster University is committed to engaging school pupils across Northern Ireland, in high quality educational outreach resources, specifically designed to motivate and inspire the next generation.

www.ulster.ac.uk/schoolsacademy

Ulster University Discovery Academy is our online version of outreach, it's open to all young people, school pupils Year 8-14/college students etc, its free, self-paced and we currently have 75+ courses on offer.

Each course is aligned with curriculum, personal development or showcases pathways into university disciplines, co-designed by Ulster University academics.  The Discovery Academy enables young people across NI to have unlimited access to university outreach, removing barriers and creating pathways to HE. 

To find out how your school could can get involved, please contact by email schools@ulster.ac.uk or access our online learning platform at www.ulster.ac.uk/schoolsacademy