NICIE Newsletter Summer 2015
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Summer 2015 Integratededucation NICIE welcomes integrated institution, a number of practical status for Loughries PS steps will be taken by the staff and Governors including changes In This Issue... The Northern Ireland Council for to the Governing body, a review of Integrated Education (NICIE) is the curriculum programmes including RE and staff training and delighted at the Education Minister, NICIE Welcomes Integrated John O’Dowd’s decision to approve development.Loughries Integrated Status For Loughries PS the transformation to integrated Primary School will continue to Response to Ministerial status of Loughries PS in the greater serve children of all faiths and Decision on Mallusk Primary School Newtownards area. none in Loughries, and will NICIE Welcomes Continuing Post Demand for an integrated primary provide for the first time integrated Primary Integrated Education In Crumlin school in the wider Newtownards provision for those residing within NICIE News—Meetings area has grown and since the the Greater Ards area. IIEW 2016 successful ballot, Loughries PS has APTIS, VPIn Forum This Issue...and ISFA been working closely with NICIE to Both Sides Now develop and implement a School Trips comprehensive transformation Integrated School News action plan and will continue to do Roundup so now approval has been given. Diana Awards In order to ensure that the school Killyleagh PS Development becomes a fully integrated Proposal Dates for your diary Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education www.nicie.org https://www.facebook.com/niciebelfast 25 College Gardens, Belfast, BT9 6BS Tel. 02890 972910 Fax. 02890 972919 [email protected] https://twitter.com/niciebelfast Response to Ministerial Decision on Mallusk Primary School The Principal and Governors of Mallusk Primary School and The Grange of Mallusk Steering Group welcome the Minister’s decision to allow Mallusk Primary School to transform to Controlled Integrated status. Governors, staff and parents have been working together since April 2014 in a bid to change the status of the school to meet the needs of the community. There has been a great deal of cross community support for Integrated education in this area. Speaking on behalf of the Governors, Acting Principal Susanne Kinsella said: ‘‘ We are delighted with this deci- sion. We can now build on our caring and inclusive ethos and commitment to welcoming pupils from all backgrounds. Our school has been at the heart of the local community for almost 80 years years, and it will reflect the demographics of the area to have our school transform to Integrated Status. We believe strongly that we can provide a quality, inclusive education for the children of this area.” Parents Kathryn McVeigh and Heather Fee echoed these sentiments: “This is a thrilling opportunity to develop the school as an Integrated learning environment. We are excited about the opportunity to provide our children with the right to learn together and to play their part in building a truly shared future.” Mrs Kinsella continued: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated parents, the local community and NICIE for all their hard work and support. We extend an invitation to all parents of primary aged children in the area to come to the events we will have in the summer and autumn terms and to contact the school to register interest in enrolling their child. Our dedicated staff will endeavour to make every child’s time at primary school happy, rewarding and success- ful. We all look forward to welcoming new children into our school family.” For further information on how to be a part of this exciting development contact Mrs Kinsella at Mallusk Primary School on 02890342038. Integrated Education Summer 2015 2 NICIE Welcomes Continuing Post Primary Integrated Education In Crumlin NICIE and Crumlin Integrated College have reacted with delight at the Education Minister’s decision to maintain inte- grated post primary provision in Crumlin. The campaign by local parents and the school community has been a long and arduous journey of working together. Recently Crumlin Integrated College celebrated getting a ‘Good’ inspection from ETI. Despite the difficulties the passion for integrated education in the Crumlin area has never diminished. Speaking on behalf of Crumlin Integrated College, Lynda McGarry said “The Minister’s agreement to allow Crumlin Integrated College to continue to deliver integrated education in the Crumlin area is a huge boost to morale for the staff, pupils and parents connected with the school. There has been an immense amount of work carried out over the past few years to raise educational standards and this was acknowledged in the most recent ETI inspection when we were awarded ‘Good’. We are also indebted to the parent steering group. Parental support for an integrated post primary school in the Crumlin area has always been evident. A parent steer- ing group that was formed to fight for integrated education to remain in Crumlin is looking forward to putting the diffi- cult times of the past behind them and begin on their new journey. Very aptly Crumlin Integrated College is currently putting on a play entitled ‘Voyage of Discovery’ next week and this will begin the next stage of the journey for the school. This will be part of the celebrations in the new journey for the school. The steering group will continue their journey to represent parental views within the school. This reflects one of the key elements of the NICIE Statement of Principles, which highlights the importance of parental involvement in inte- grated education. In the past many integrated schools have been opened and developed by parents. The next year will be a very busy and exciting time for the steering group as they work with the College to further em- bed the integrated ethos in partnership with the local community. NICIE looks forward to continuing to work with the school, the steering group and the wider community in developing a school that demonstrates an integrated ethos in every area of school life. Tracy Kennedy, Chairperson of Crumlin Supports Integrated Education Steering Group said: ‘‘We are absolutely thrilled with the Minister’s decision to maintain a post primary school in Crumlin. Local parents have proved conclusively that there is a significant demand for integrated education in the area. We are committed to continuing our work at Crumlin Integrated College and now that the Minister has given us a positive re- sponse. We are looking forward to our celebrations and growing Crumlin Integrated College for the future, and beginning to play our small part in a shared future for Northern Ireland.” Integrated Education Summer 2015 3 NICIE NEWS SENCo Committee Meeting Teacher’s Committee Meetings The next meeting of the SENCo Committee is on September 2015 to May 2016 23 June at 10am in Strangford IC. Paul and Roisin from the Equality Commission are coming to deliv- Dates to book in your 2015-2016 er a Train the Trainer style session for schools on school calendar! discrimination. This will be a valuable session for schools in keeping up to date with best practice in Wednesday 30 September 2015. relation to working with pupils with additional 1.30—3.30pm. Forge IPS. learning needs. Please email [email protected] if interested in attending. Tuesday 17 November 2015. 1.30—3.30pm. Braidside IPS. Thursday 10 March 2016. Forgiveness Education Pilot Session 1.30—3.30pm. Shimna IC. Thursday 25 June 2015. 1.30pm-3.30pm. Thursday 26 May 2016. Hazelwood IPS. 1.30—3.30pm. Drumragh IC. The purpose of this pilot session is to provide The Teacher’s Committee provides a an outline of the Forgiveness Education Pro- space and a forum for discussion for gramme for teachers interested in delivering teachers to address controversial is- this programme in their school and to look at sues, share good practice and how it can work and be mainstreamed within strengthen connections and relation- integrated school practices. The session also ships across the integrated sector. To aims to explore how it can be introduced into continue with this important task the the NICIE’s Training Support Programme for teachers committee has agreed on a 2016. If you are interested in participating in programme of themes to be covered at the meetings next year. We hope that planning the dates and venues well in advance of the meetings will encourage and help principals to allow Training for Teachers and Staff one of their teachers to attend. New to Integration We also want to take this opportunity Thursday 27 August 2015. 9.00am-3.00pm. to thank the principals who kindly ac- Parkhall CIC. cepted hosting the meetings during the next academic year and we are This one day training is aimed at new teach- very grateful to the principals from ers and staff in integrated schools. This train- Portadown IPS, Oakgrove IC, Hazel- ing explores the history of the Integrated Sec- wood IPS, and Malone IC, who gener- tor and the role of NICIE; it addresses and ously hosted the meetings this aca- discusses the meaning of integration in the demic year. Northern Ireland context and looks at the teaching practice within integrated schools. Integrated Education Summer 2015 4 International Integrated Education Week IIEW-2016 From Friday 26 February to Thursday 3 March For next year’s celebration of IIEW-2016 please see below a series of activities agreed by the Teachers’ Committee. These activities will be coordinated by NICIE for your school to engage with and play an active part in this important celebration for the integrated family. Please send an email to [email protected] to register for one or several of these activities. Theme IIEW-2016: “Harmony” During IIEW 2016 your school will be having a series of events to celebrate integrated education and it is open for your school to decide how it will represent through school activities the theme of “Harmony”.