Demand for Integrated Schools Varies Across Northern Ireland, DE Reports
The Department of Education (DE) has stated that there is no Northern Ireland-wide demand from parents for an increase in integrated schools. Instead, the demand for school places is unevenly distributed, with the highest demand observed in areas such as Mid and East Antrim, Ards and North Down, and Belfast.
Conversely, in council areas including Derry and Strabane, Causeway Coast and Glens, and Fermanagh and Omagh, there is an excess of integrated school places.
Paul Caskey, head of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), however, expressed a differing view, indicating that there is a "clear unmet demand" for integrated education.
"Whilst not all integrated schools are overd, many are, and in some areas parents and young people do not have a realistic choice of any integrated school within their local community," he said.
What is Integrated Education?
The first integrated school in Northern Ireland, Lagan College, was established in 1981 with the objective of educating Protestant and Catholic pupils together. It began with 28 pupils in a former scout centre and has since expanded to approximately 1,500 pupils.
Integrated schools aim to educate pupils from Protestant, Catholic, and other backgrounds collectively. Currently, over 28,000 pupils attend integrated schools, and this number has increased over the past decade. Despite this growth, only about 8% of children in Northern Ireland are enrolled in formally integrated schools.
In 2025, Education Minister Paul Givan's decision to reject proposals by two large schools in Bangor to transition to integrated status sparked controversy. Givan stated that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that enough Catholic pupils would attend each school to support integrated education.
It is noteworthy that some non-integrated schools also have a diverse mix of pupils from various religious backgrounds and those without religious affiliation.
The Department of Education has a legal obligation to provide increased support for integrated education, following the passage of new legislation by Stormont in March 2022. As part of this obligation, the department must assess parental demand for integrated education.
Demand for Integrated Education According to the Department
The department has analyzed data from school admissions and surveys to evaluate demand for integrated schools across Northern Ireland. Their analysis indicates that there is no shortage of places in integrated primary schools, and oversubscription is not a significant issue at this level.
However, demand for post-primary integrated school places is higher in certain parts of Northern Ireland. The department identified consistent oversubscription in council areas including Mid and East Antrim, Ards and North Down, Lisburn and Castlereagh, and Belfast.
Previously, the department surveyed nearly 10,000 parents regarding their attitudes towards integrated education. The survey revealed the highest support for integrated education among parents in Ards and North Down, Lisburn and Castlereagh, and Belfast, while support was considerably lower in areas such as Fermanagh and Omagh, and Mid Ulster.
Other Studies on Integrated Education
The Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey, which annually monitors public opinion among approximately 1,200 adults in Northern Ireland, found that 55% of respondents in the 2024 survey preferred to send their child to an integrated school.
Parents have the option to vote for their child's school to transform into an integrated school through a process known as transformation. In 2021, Seaview Primary in Glenarm became the first Catholic school in Northern Ireland to formally change its status to integrated.
Reactions to the Department's Analysis
Accompanying the publication of the report, Education Minister Paul Givan stated:
"This evidence shows that demand for integrated education is present but uneven."
"Pressures are concentrated in a relatively small number of schools," he added.
"This reinforces the need to plan proportionately, using reliable evidence and aligning with wider demographic and sustainability challenges in education in Northern Ireland."
Paul Caskey responded by emphasizing the discrepancy between provision and demand:
"The gap between current provision and public demand is clear."
"Evidence gathered through Department-sponsored surveys indicates that there is clear unmet demand at both a societal and behavioural level for integrated education," he said.
