Glengormley High school given green light to transform to integrated status

A development proposal enabling Glengormley High School to transform to integrated status from the start of the next academic year has been approved by the Department of Education.
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Education Minister Michelle McIlveen’s decision was announced on the department’s website earlier today (Wednesday).

The Ballyclare Road school submitted the case for change after consultation and an independent parental ballot.

Welcoming the announcement, principal Ricky Massey, said: “The Glengormley High School governors and staff are absolutely delighted with the minister’s decision today. We have been on this journey since early 2019 – engaging with pupils, parents, staff and the wider community.

Glengormley High School Principal Ricky Massey. Credit: Paul McErlane.Glengormley High School Principal Ricky Massey. Credit: Paul McErlane.
Glengormley High School Principal Ricky Massey. Credit: Paul McErlane.

“The consultation evidenced a high demand for integrated education within our community and thankfully this will now been offered. Becoming integrated is not about taking anything away from our community, but adding something amazing to it.

“I am indebted to the invaluable help of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) and the Education Authority (EA) working in conjunction with my staff to get us to this point.

“We are so excited about this new chapter in our history which will ensure that our school is intentionally invitational to the whole of our diverse local community.”

He added: “We currently have 840 pupils in the school as of now, and we are currently oversubscribed in Year 8. Next year’s Year 8 intake is expected to be oversubscribed again with 210 children joining Year 8 and our overall enrolment is expected to increase to 940 in September.”

Glengormley High is the first post-primary school to succeed in the process since Antrim’s Parkhall Integrated College in 2009.

Roisin Marshall, CEO of NICIE said: “Today is an exciting day for integrated education and for families and young people in the greater Glengormley area. This is the first post-primary school that has transformed to integrated status in over 10 years and Glengormley High School is a very welcome addition to the existing 20 integrated colleges.

“We look forward to working with Glengormley High School, the IEF and the Education Authority to support them to build their integrated ethos in a school where children and adults can learn together for a shared society.”

Tina Merron, chief executive of the IEF, said: “This is a great day for the parents, pupils and the wider school community who have campaigned for a number of years to bring integrated education at post-primary level to Glengormley.

“No school can begin the process of transformation without a parental ballot in favour of becoming integrated, so what we have here is an example of parent power at its finest.

“The minister’s decision to approve this development proposal has only added to the momentum behind the integrated movement which has had a very strong year, despite the pressures of the pandemic.”

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