Education minister Paul Givan rejects integrated status for two schools over low numbers of Catholic pupils

Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary School had both sought integrated status – something Mr Givan has said that he has “regularly” done in other cases.

However, the DUP minister said the percentage of Catholic children attending both schools “has ranged between two and three percent” – and he did not see that situation changing.

Mr Givan said: “When a school transforms to Integrated, the precise religious balance within the school will vary depending on local circumstances.

“When considering the demographics of the local area, the extremely limited and historic enrolments from the Catholic community and the availability of both Catholic maintained and other integrated options, I believe there is insufficient evidence that reasonable numbers could be achieved in the future.

“I would anticipate that changing the status of Bangor Academy to integrated would only have a marginal impact on the number of Catholic children attending the school.

“Even on the most optimistic analysis, it would appear highly unlikely that reasonable numbers could be achieved.

“The proposal contained insufficient evidence of how these issues could be overcome and when applying the statutory test of whether it was likely that the school would provide ‘integrated education’ namely, the education together of those of different cultures and religious beliefs and of none, including reasonable numbers of both Protestant and Catholic children or young persons, I do not believe the conditions are currently met or that they could be met if this proposal was to be approved.”

In a document published on the department’s website, explaining is rationale for the Rathmore primary decision, the DUP minister explained that he does not believe that the “historic and current 2-3% of Catholic children at Rathmore PS can, under any analysis, be said to constitute reasonable numbers even when considering the local demography of the area and the locations from where pupils attend”.

North Down Alliance MLA Connie Egan said: “These are not only exceptionally disappointing decisions by the Education Minster but deeply concerning ones,” said Ms Egan.

“The Minister needs to set out his rationale for effectively blocking integrated education across North Down. It is difficult to think of one, given the overwhelming public support for the moves among parents of pupils and also the wider local community.

“This move will cause hurt right across North Down, with 79.4 per cent of parents at Bangor Academy and 82.3 per cent of parents at Rathmore now feeling as if their views have now been ignored. I will be submitting an urgent question to the Minister to seek immediate clarification around this matter.”

The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) said the schools will consider their next steps. Its chief executive Paul Caskey said the organisation is “extremely disappointed that the Minister of Education has rejected the democratic wishes of the overwhelming majority of parents” at both schools.

“In reaching this flawed decision, the minister has clearly rejected not only the desire of the school community but also the advice of his own officials, the Education Authority and the Controlled Schools Support Council,” he said.

“It is hard to comprehend how such decisions reflect the Department of Education’s statutory duty to ‘support, encourage and facilitate’ integrated education. We deeply appreciate the time, energy and commitment both schools, parents and the wider communities have already dedicated to the transformation process. We don’t want any of this hard work to be lost going forward and the IEF will continue to support the schools to help them consider next steps and future actions.”