NEWS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

Thursday 22nd August 2013

The chief executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), Noreen Campbell, welcomed GCSE exam successes of students at integrated colleges across Northern Ireland. Year on year, results in integrated colleges are outstanding, this year proving no exception, with students celebrating exceptional results. NICIE is delighted at the high level of student achievement and the performance of schools in these exams.

Hazelwood College is celebrating an outstanding set of GCSE results today with 82% of students achieving 5 subjects at A* – C. The figure, including English and Maths, is up 15% on last year.

For the first time in five years there has been a gender shift with 52% of those achieving 5A*-C being boys. This is an extremely pleasing statistic as the College has dedicated considerable resources over the past number of years to raising boys’ achievement.

STEM subjects have excelled this year with almost two thirds of students achieving a grade A* or grade A in Additional Science,100% C+ in Electronics, 91% of students achieving a C+ in Engineering and 63% of students achieving C+ in Maths. The College’s ICT teachers are to be commended for an amazing set of results with 130 A* or A grades.

The Principal, Mrs Kathleen Gormley said: “These tremendous results mean Hazelwood will welcome back its largest ever sixth form. This coincides with the opening, in September 2013, of our new post 16 centre which has been jointly funded by the Integrated Education Fund and The Belfast Trust for Integrated Education. We will now be offering three different pathways at Post 16 which will ensure that all of our students are ready for University, Further Education or Employment.”

Pupils and staff at Priory Integrated College, Holywood are celebrating today after receiving a bumper crop of GCSE results. 60% of the pupils achieved at least 5 GCSE grades at A* – C and many pupils achieved A and A* grades in a whole range of subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, ICT and Technology & Design, Business Studies and Art. College Head Boy Jordan Wright, was one such pupil, achieving 10 GCSEs, including 1 A*, 7 grade As and a grade B. Rebecca Reid was another top achiever, with 8 As and a B. Ilyas Bektasoglu got 10 GCSEs including 3 at grade A*.

“We are so proud of all of our students this year,” said Ms Argument, the college Principal. They and their teachers have worked so hard and it is wonderful to see their efforts come to fruition. It also represents a significant improvement in results at this level in the college, which is something upon which we are determined to build in the future.”

The board of directors and all involved in NICIE congratulate these young people on their successes and pay tribute to the dedicated work of staff in their colleges.

As these students move on to the next stage of their education, the debates on education continue. The majority of students in Northern Ireland are educated separately, and do not have the privilege of learning together with and about their peers from ‘the other side’. There is a demand for increased places in integrated education. How will it be met? When will integrated choice be made available in every area of the province, from pre-school to post 16?

The results from our integrated schools prove that quality education is enhanced in an inclusive, integrated environment where diversity is celebrated and high expectations are the norm.

Noreen Campbell, NICIE Chief Executive, expressed delight at the achievements of students across the sector: “Many parents will begin the school year agonising about whether their children should undergo the stress of selection tests for entry into grammar school. Successful results from the integrated sector prove that invidious selection is not necessary. All children in all schools in Northern Ireland, regardless of status, follow the same curriculum. The high expectations and the positive learning environment provided in integrated schools ensure that students fulfil their potential.

“Integrated colleges are the most popular and most oversubscribed schools in Northern Ireland. These results tell us why: integrated colleges provide a high achieving environment for all students.”

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 21,000 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