News Release Page Title

19 February 2004

JANE KENNEDY APPROVES NEW INTEGRATED SCHOOLS

The Rt Hon Jane Kennedy, MP, the Minister with responsibility for Education, has approved the establishment of four new integrated schools, the transformation of two existing primary schools to integrated status and approved proposals to increase admissions in two integrated post-primary schools.

The Minister has approved new integrated primary schools in Limavady, Cookstown and Ballynahinch, a new integrated post-primary school in Armagh, the transformation of Glencraig Primary School and Groomsport Primary School to controlled integrated status, and increased admissions to Hazelwood Integrated College, Belfast and Slemish Integrated College, Ballymena.

Announcing her decision, the Minister said:

"I am pleased to make this announcement today. The Department has a statutory duty to encourage and facilitate the development of integrated education and it provides support and funding for the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education.

"Each proposal is considered carefully, based on all the information available, including the evidence that a new school would be viable in the areas concerned.

"I recognise that this news is eagerly awaited and will provide clarity for many parents and children making decisions about their future educational options."

Another Development Proposal for a new integrated primary school in Ballycastle is under consideration.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Development Proposals approved are as follows:

New Schools

  • New integrated primary school to be located in Cookstown and to be known as Phoenix Integrated Primary School.
  • New integrated primary school to be located in Limavady and to be known as Roe Valley Integrated Primary School.
  • New integrated primary school to be located in Ballynahinch.

The Department’s criteria in approving these Development Proposals is conditional upon the schools achieving a minimum of 12 Primary 1 pupils, meeting the religious balance requirement of a minimum of 30% of the pupils from the minority religion and the identification of, and Department approval of, a suitable site for the school.

  • New integrated post-primary school to be located in Armagh.

The Departments criteria in approving this Development Proposal is conditional upon the school achieving a minimum of 50 pupils taking up allocated places in Year 8, a minimum opening religious balance of 30% : 70% and the identification of, and Department approval of, a suitable site for the school.

Transformations
  • The transformation of Glencraig Primary School to controlled integrated status (Glencraig PS is a controlled school, situated at Seahill Road, Holywood - its current enrolment is 172 pupils).
  • The transformation of Groomsport Primary School to controlled integrated status (Groomsport Primary School serves the village of Groomsport and surrounding area – its current enrolment is 27 pupils).

Both schools already enrol pupils from both sides of the community.

The Department’s criteria in approving these proposals is conditional upon an initial 10% from the minority religion in the first year intake, building to 30% of total enrolment in the longer term.

Increased Admissions
  • Slemish College, Ballymena - Proposal to increase Year 8 admissions to 120 and eventually overall enrolments to 720.
  • Hazelwood College, Belfast - Proposal to increase Year 8 admissions to 140 and overall enrolment to 850.

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