NEWS RELEASE
30th May 2014
The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) welcomes the approval by the Minister for Education, John O’Dowd, for additional places in Millennium Integrated Primary School. In addition to approval for growth and expansion throughout the school, the Minister also gave approval for additional nursery places. This proposal will mean that Millennium IPS will now be able extend the P1 provision to two classes from September 2015 onwards as well as provide much needed additional nursery places. This will mean that in the future Millennium will be able to offer integrated education to around 400 children in the primary school and 52 pre-school aged children annually in the nursery unit. NICIE hopes that this will go some way towards ensuring that all of those who wish to avail of an integrated education in the Saintfield /Carryduff area will be able to in the future.
Commenting on this, the Principal of Millennium IPS, Mary Roulston said, “The entire school community at Millennium IPS is absolutely delighted with the Minister’s approval to allow us to expand to be able to continue to offer parents in the Saintfield /Carryduff area, the type of education they seek for their children. We are delighted that those who seek an integrated education at our school will now have greater access to it for their children.”
Noreen Campbell, CEO of NICIE said:
“NICIE welcomes this decision of the Minister. Millennium IPS is a respected and successful school serving well its local area. This news will be much welcomed by parents anxious to secure a place in this oversubscribed school.
NICIE is committed to ensuring that all parents seeking an integrated place are assured one. This increase in places supports this aim. Other integrated schools and colleges are seeking to ensure they can meet parental demand through similar development proposals. It is encouraging to see integrated schools gaining approval to grow.
Unfortunately, in many areas there is still no integrated choice for parents. Through Area Based Planning, NICIE is seeking to ensure that there is such choice in every area to meet parental demand for integrated education. The tide is turning for Integrated Education and we look forward to a rapid increase in integrated provision across the province.”
ENDS
For further information or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson please contact Noreen Campbell, Chief Executive Officer at (028) 9097 2910, mobile 0787 8721327 or via e-mail to ncampbell@nicie.org.uk or via email to lmcivor@nicie.org.uk
Notes to the Editor
1. In Northern Ireland, about 93% of children attend schools which are either exclusively or predominantly Catholic or Protestant. The first integrated school, Lagan College, opened in 1981 with 28 pupils. There are currently 62 integrated schools in Northern Ireland, 20 second level colleges and 42 integrated primaries, altogether educating over 22,000 pupils.
2. A recent Millward Brown survey found that 83% of parents in Belfast believe that integrated education is a vital part of building a shared future in Northern Ireland. 72% of parents believe that funding for integrated education should be prioritised, with enough places available for those who wish to send their children to an integrated school.
3. Integrated schools are co-educational, accept children from all levels of ability and social backgrounds and practice a child-centred approach to teaching methods.
4. Established in 1987, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) is a voluntary organisation that was set up to develop, support and promote integrated education in Northern Ireland. The underpinning principle of integrated education is that by bringing together Catholic, Protestant and children of other faiths in a shared environment, they can learn to understand, respect and tolerate differences. For more information please visit www.nicie.org
