Lydia McCarthy, Head of Education and Development
The Educate Together national office team are busy working on a plan for school reconfiguration. We have already welcomed Paradise Place ETNS into our network, and we want to be ready to support more denominational schools to transfer to Educate Together in the coming years. Five staff members from the national office went on a study visit to Northern Ireland this September, to learn about their similar school transformation process. Although their post-conflict context is different to ours here in the Republic, they similarly aim to create opportunities from children from all backgrounds to be educated together through an integrated approach.
The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) is a non-departmental Public Body that advises and supports schools through the transformation process. An integrated education approach creates an environment that not only acknowledges the diversity in its community but also recognises that mixing is an opportunity to learn with, from and about each other. Laura Largey, NICIE Development Officer, organised two school visits for the National Office staff.
Firstly, the group visited Lurgan Model Integrated Primary School. This school was opened in 1863 as part of the ‘Model’ school system operating in Ireland at that time. In response to increased diversity and cultural changes in the town, the principal surveyed the school community to understand if they wanted to become an integrated school. Based on an overwhelming 99.4% response rate of yes, the school opened its doors with an integrated ethos in September 2024.
The next day the group went to Seaview Integrated Primary School in Glenarm. This school made history as Northern Ireland’s first ever Catholic School to become integrated. Since 2020 the school population has more than doubled. Children that were once bussed out of the village to schools in neighbouring villages are now attending school in their local community.
The NICIE staff generously shared their learnings, and challenges that they faced along the way. This will help inform the work of the national office. NICIE staff were excited to hear about the Educate Together approach and hope to visit some schools in the coming months to learn from your experiences.
