Shock for schools
By Lesley Walsh
BIDS by Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary School to become integrated have been rejected by the Education Minister in a shock double blow described as ‘a very negative message for all of Northern Ireland’.
School principals Matthew Pitts and Julie Hardy were left reeling yesterday after learning that the schools’ ambitions of transformation to integrated status had received a ‘flat no’ from Education Minister Paul Givan.
The Minister has said the school’s Catholic population was unlikely to grow sufficiently to afford ‘reasonable numbers’ to justify integrated status.
Local Alliance party representatives have claimed the decision has ’effectively blocked integrated education in North Down’.
Hopes had been high in recent times of the schools’ success in seeking integration, after parents of children at both institutions voted overwhelmingly in favour of integration last June.
A ballot at the Academy in June recorded 79.4% in support of integration while at Rathmore the figure was 82% in favour of integrated status.
The principal of Bangor Academy, Matthew Pitts, spoke of his upset yesterday to the Spectator.
“We haven’t seen the official wording but the Department of Education rang this morning and it appears that the department officials recommended it but it was the Minister himself who said no,” he revealed.
He said he was ‘upset’ that what was seen by the community as such a positive move.
“With everything about diversity and inclusion and the excitement surrounding it, to get a flat ‘no’, it’s just hard to take,” said Mr Pitts.
“It’s a very negative message for all of Northern Ireland,” he maintained, but was keen to stress to parents that the disappointing decision will not affect their children’s education.
“The key message is that we are a brilliant school and we will continue to be a brilliant school,” he said.
He said he shared the disappointment of Rathmore Primary School in Bangor which also learned yesterday that its bid for integrated status had also been rejected.
Mr Pitts, who came to Northern Ireland 14 years ago from England, said he couldn’t understand the ‘flat no’ from Mr Givan.
“To get a rejection of this community decision is just very strange,” he added.
As Northern Ireland’s largest school, Bangor Academy is a non-selective school educating approximately 1,850 at its sprawling site at Castle Park Road.
The majority of its pupils are from a Protestant background but more than 40% are from Catholic, non-Christian or non-religious backgrounds, according to Department of Education statistics.
It was opened in December 2009 by Prince Edward, now Duke of Edinburgh.
The school first began the process of exploring integrated status last year, and following the vote last summer Mr Pitts said he was delighted at such an ‘overwhelmingly positive result’.
The school head’s tone yesterday is in stark contrast to the optimism he held for transitioning following last June’s vote, when he said: “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.”
The school head repeated his enthusiasm for news that the integrated bid would soon get the green light during its recent school prize day.
More than 27,000 pupils, or eight per cent, are currently taught in integrated schools, but a law requiring the Department of Education to give more support to integrated education was passed by Assembly members in April 2022.