TWO more schools in Northern Ireland have transformed to integrated status for the start of the new academic term.
The former Glengormley High School has re-opened as Integrated College Glengormley and became the first post-primary school to move to integrated status in more than 10 years.
Bangor Central Integrated Nursery has also become the second stand alone nursery school in the north to move to integrated status.
Integrated education continues to be the fastest growing form of education in Northern Ireland, with around 7.5 per cent of all children now attending an integrated school.
It comes as recent surveys from LucidTalk and the joint QUB/UU ARK project reveal continued public support for integrated education, with 71 per cent of people in Northern Ireland believing that it should be the "norm".
The findings also reveal that 69 per cent of people would want their children to attend a mixed-religion school.
Ricky Massey, principal of Integrated College Glengormley, said: "Our geographical community has widened over these last years and so too has the level of diversity within the Glengormley area.
"Whilst we continue to serve our growing geographical community, we now seek to intentionally recognise, embrace and celebrate the increasing cultural diversity within the area."
Pamela Algie, principal of Bangor Central Integrated Nursery, also said: "As a newly Integrated Nursery School we are formalising our ethos that everyone in the community is valued in our school and that learning together in an inclusive environment, even from this young age, is what is best for the children in our care".
Roisin Marshall of NI Council for Integrated Education added: "Reaching the milestone of 70 schools providing Integrated education is significant for all of us.
"Driven by parental demand, it demonstrates the clear will of families for their children to be educated in a shared environment day in and day out.
"There are now 26,700 children in Northern Ireland benefitting from an integrated education.
"The Council for Integrated Education remains committed in its support of these schools and will work alongside others whose communities are ready to work towards a meaningful shared future."
