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Statement of Principles

NICIE Statement of Principles

We, the representatives of the integrated schools and their supporting trusts, gathered together as members of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), define Integrated Education in the Northern Ireland context as:

"Education together in school of pupils drawn in approximately equal numbers from the two major traditions with the aim of providing for them an effective education that gives equal recognition to and promotes equal expression of the two major traditions. The integrated school is essentially Christian in character; democratic and open in procedures and-promotes the worth and self-esteem of all individuals within the school community. The school as an institution seeks to develop mutual respect and consideration of other institutions within the educational community. Its core aim is to provide the child with a caring self-fulfilling educational experience which will enable him/her to become a fulfilled and caring adult."

WE AFFIRM
1. that parents have the basic rights in determining the nature of their children´s education as set out in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the second Vatican Council´s Declaration on Christian Education;

2. that Christianity and Humanism alike demand that children be brought up to respect those who differ from them in creed, culture, race or class;

3. that children being brought up to live as adults in a plural and divided society should be educated in a context where they will come to know, understand, respect and appreciate those who differ from them and to recognise what they hold in common as well as what divides them;

4. that children brought up in a plural and divided society should be nurtured in their parents´ religious and national traditions and identity, while respecting the identity and appreciating the traditions of others;

5. that children should prepare to take responsibility for their lives as adults;

6. that children should be helped to develop self-confidence and self-respect so that they can develop confidence in and respect for others;

7. that children should learn to use and trust non-violent methods of resolving conflict;

8. that children should be encouraged and helped to be open in social relations despite difference in creed, culture, race, class, gender or ability; and

9. that children should be encouraged to identify with those less fortunate than themselves, the oppressed and victims of injustice.

In the development of integrated schools for Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland we are committed to the principles that we:

10. must seek to make them places where parents feel happy to send their children, where parents will feel secure knowing that the religious and cultural values and beliefs of their families will be respected in the school;

11. must ensure that they are founded with the consent of the parents, recognising that separate school systems for Catholics and Protestants are a basic right for families, parents and children who want them;

12. must ensure that there is opportunity for each child to be nurtured in his or her parents´ religious and cultural traditions;

13. must seek to secure and sustain deep parental participation in the life and work of the school, and in particular in its government, in the formulation of its policy, in the creation of a working partnership with the teaching staff, and the promotion of good relations with the local community;

14. must plan the schools so that their integrated character is protected from the natural segregative tendencies of a divided society;

15. must ensure that each integrated school community welcomes, respects and cherishes the children of parents having other or no religious convictions while remaining loyal to its own essentially Christian character;

16. must ensure that the integrated school is open in its relationships with Catholic and Protestant schools and with the local community.

PRACTICAL GUIDELINES
In applying the above principles the governors, staff and parents of all integrated schools-in Northern Ireland must make every effort to implement the following guidelines.

EQUALITY
There shall be equality of status within the schools for the two main ethno-religious communities of Northern Ireland.

There shall be equality of respect and treatment for all children, regardless of creed, culture, race, class, gender or ability.

These commitments to equality shall he fostered both structurally within the Board of Governors, the staff and the pupils and culturally within the overt and hidden curriculum of the school. To achieve these ends all reasonable steps shall be taken to ensure that:

a) at least 40% of the first year intake in any year are pupils of the Catholic tradition and at least 40% of pupils are of the Protestant tradition;

b) at least 40% of the teaching staff are of the Catholic tradition and at least 40% of the Protestant tradition;

c) at least 40% of the governors are of the Catholic tradition and at least 40% of the Protestant tradition;

d) the Catholic and Protestant communities within the schools are accorded equal respect and standing;

and furthermore to:

e) promote the learning of shared culture, beliefs and traditions;

f) promote the learning of what is specific to the other tradition;

g) nurture within each pupil what is specific to his or her own tradition;

h) promote an atmosphere in which pupils will neither conceal or flaunt their own cultural identities;

i) ensure that; do symbol likely to be seen as offensive or divisive shall be displayed in the school premises or worn by pupils;

j) ensure that when inviting well-known visitors to the school they are selected even-handedly, having regard to the perceptions of the two major communities within Northern Ireland;

k) be democratic in all relationships between staff, parents and governors and, where possible, make decisions affecting school life on a consensual basis.

RELIGION
The school shall provide a Christian rather than a secular approach and context.

a) The children shall learn together all that we can reasonably expect them to learn together.

b) Where the school population includes significant numbers of children of a particular religious community, separate provision should be made to prepare such children for sacramental and liturgical participation in that specific religious community if their parents so wish. In addition the school shall encourage ministers of such religious communities to visit the school, take a pastoral interest in the children and get to know the parents and teachers.

c) In a manner appropriate to their age and ability, pupils shall be introduced to the ideas, beliefs and practices of the major world religions and humanist philosophies.

d) All parents should be encouraged to allow their children to follow the common elements in the religious curriculum

e) Where parents do not wish their children to be given any specific sacramental or liturgical preparation their wishes shall be respected and proper alternative provision shall be made for their children.

f) In the selection of prayers, texts (c), the text of the Lord´s Prayer), readings and music for school assemblies and gatherings, care shall be taken to ensure equal prominence for the two major traditions and fair representation of other groups of significant size within the school community.

g) Where there are significant differences in liturgical practice between the two major communities (e.g. in the making of the sign of the cross) children should be encouraged to continue with their normal practice.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
The school shall promote and encourage parental involvement at all levels of school life.

a) There shall be Parents’ Council to mobilise and organise parental support and participation and to advise the Board of Governors of matters of concern to the parents.

b) The Governors shall consult the Parents’ Council when drafting or redrafting their statements of curriculum policy and discipline policy.

c) The Governors shall ensure that the parents are briefed when major changes in the curriculum take place.

d) The Governors shall consult the Parents’ Council before determining the school calendar, start and end times of the school day, school uniform, homework policy and other such matters of evident import to parents.

e) The Governors shall establish appropriate arrangements and procedures for individual and collective communication between parents and

i. the principal,

ii. other members of the teaching staff,

iii. the Governors themselves.

f) The Governors shall take steps to ensure that parents understand their obligations to play a full part in school life, for example:

i. by regular attendance at school functions, meetings and events;

ii. by helping during the school day;

iii. by helping on school outings and at school events;

iv. by taking an active interest in their children´s schoolwork and homework;

v. by encouraging their children to show respect for parents, teachers and other pupils by their manner and in their care for their appearance;

vi. by seeing that their children attend school regularly and punctually; by taking part in fund-raising activities for the school

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
a) The school shall wherever possible be coeducational and all-ability in character and shall seek to educate each child according to his or her educational needs.

b) Resources and teaching strategies shall be organised to accommodate the all-ability nature of the school. In particular the school shall provide special help:

i. for children with particular learning difficulties; and

ii. for children at the top of the ability range.

c) The school curriculum shall reflect not only the external demands of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, the inspectorate and the economy but also the all-ability-character and integrative purpose of the school itself. In particular the school shall make provision for:

i. a history syllabus which reflects the historical roots of the two major communities within Northern Ireland so as to illuminate both their separate and shared history;

ii. music and dancing which reflect the culture of both major traditions; and, on an optional basis, for

iii. Irish language;

iv. Irish games.

d) In selecting texts for English language, literature and drama, care shall be taken to illustrate the contributions both of writers born in Britain and those born in Ireland, North and South.

The school curriculum and the manner in which it is delivered shall encourage the development of autonomous individuals with the capacity to think, question and research.