Slemish 'most oversubscribed' integrated school

The Ballymena College had 93 more first-choice applicants than could be accommodated, whilst Lagan College, in Castlereagh, turned away 87 pupils who had put them first on their list.

The second-level school which comes third in the table is St Dominic’s in West Belfast, which refused eleven fewer first-choice applications than Lagan College.

A written answer to the Northern Ireland Assembly last month showed the number of pupils in each board area who had not been admitted to their first choice of primary or post-primary school.

The document also listed the individual schools which had turned away first-choice applicants.

In total, 95 primary applicants and 410 second-level applicants got turned down from an integrated school as their first choice - meaning that just under a sixth of all pupils disappointed over their school allocation in May had wanted to go to an integrated school.

The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education says this supports their position, that integrated education reflects the demand of the community, and has to be expanded to meet that demand.

Noreen Campbell, CEO NICIE said: “These figures are evidence of the parental demand for integrated education but they also beg the question: what of those children who do not succeed in securing a place in an integrated school?

“We expect that it will be argued that the right to an integrated education in divided societies can be supported on human rights, educational and moral grounds.”