The goal of integrated education is to bring children and staff of all religious faiths together under one roof (Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education). In Northern Ireland, integrated schools have been in place for the past 30 years. Northern Ireland now has a whole list of integrated schools! Integrated schools serve as an option for parents who do not want to put their children in religiously separated schools. Some parents have no desire to support the divide between Catholics and Protestants by sending their children to a school that is exclusively Catholic or exclusively Protestant.
The Admissions Criteria for integrated schools dictates an enrollment of an equal number of Catholic and Protestant pupils. They try to get a smattering of children from other religious and cultural backgrounds, too. It is important to keep in mind that integrated schools are Christian based even though they accept people of varying faiths. For example, Catholic students are offered Sacramental preparation at P4 and P7, and Protestant students have something called the Delving Deeper program to aid them in expanding knowledge of their own faith. Regardless, the aim of integrated education is to inspire children to be productive citizens that make a difference, as outlined in the Statement of Principles.
The Admissions Criteria for integrated schools dictates an enrollment of an equal number of Catholic and Protestant pupils. They try to get a smattering of children from other religious and cultural backgrounds, too. It is important to keep in mind that integrated schools are Christian based even though they accept people of varying faiths. For example, Catholic students are offered Sacramental preparation at P4 and P7, and Protestant students have something called the Delving Deeper program to aid them in expanding knowledge of their own faith. Regardless, the aim of integrated education is to inspire children to be productive citizens that make a difference, as outlined in the Statement of Principles.