Parents of two schools in Bangor vote overwhelmingly for integrated status

Almost 80% of parents or guardians of pupils at Bangor Academy voted in favour of the school becoming integrated in a ballot.

As a result, the 1,836 pupil-school will now put a proposal to the Education Authority (EA) and the Department of Education (DE) to change its status.

According to DE statistics, almost 60% of pupils at the school come from a Protestant background, 2.9% a catholic background and the rest from other religions or none.

Speaking about the process, Bangor Academy's principal Matthew Pitts outlined his joy at an "overwhelmingly positive result".

"The entire school community, teachers and Board of Governors look forward to working closely with The Council for Integrated Education and the Integrated Education Fund to proceed through the process to become fully Integrated," he said.

Meanwhile, 82% of parents at nearby Rathmore Primary School, which has almost 600 pupils, have also voted for integrated status.

Commenting on the matter, Alliance MP Stephen Farry remarked: “News parents of both Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary School have voted in big numbers to transform the Schools to Integrated Status is a positive and progressive step towards a future where all our children are educated together.

"I would like to commend all those involved, especially the parents who have got involved, pupils, staff and visionary leadership at both educational establishments including Principal Matthew Pitts at Bangor Academy and Julie Hardy at Rathmore Primary who have secured a massive mandate for transformation to Integrated Status.”

In March, former education minister Peter Weir said he didn’t believe that Bangor Academy becoming integrated would make a difference at what is already a school that takes in pupils from all backgrounds.

He said: “The school itself is both very large and very successful, it has a very good reputation for taking in pupils from all backgrounds.

"I’m not quite sure what difference being integrated will make to the school to be perfectly honest.

“If you’re being entirely cynical, sometimes schools will look in the direction of becoming integrated because they think it gives them a bit of additional protection. It’s less likely that someone is going to come in and close an integrated school. I don’t think that’s the case at Bangor Academy.”