Integrated Education is a Northern Ireland phenomenon, where traditionally schools were sectarian,[1] either run as Catholic schools or Protestant schools. On parental request, a school could apply to "transition" to become Grant Maintained offering 30% of the school places to students from the minority community. Lagan College was the first integrated school to open in 1981.
Under the delegated Northern Ireland education system, the year groups are numbered differently to their English cousins. In England the first year is Reception, then comes Year 1, in Northern Ireland, reception is Year 1, and 11 year-olds transition to post-primary (secondary) into Year 8.
The college was formed in 1994 and after one year at a temporary campus in Silverhill, it moved to its present address at Drumcoo in the north-west of the town.
The college is non-selective and offers a full educational experience from A-levels to special needs.[2]
In May 2023, nine out of eleven members of the school's board of governors resigned.[3] This was soon followed by a statement from the PSNI, saying that the school was under investigation due to "a report of allegations of non-recent inappropriate behaviour".[4] As of February 2024, the school's board of governors has 9 members.[5]
The core subjects are Careers, Citizenship, English, Mathematics, Personal Development, Physical Education and Religious Studies. For options, a straw poll is conducted to see students wishes, and from that the staff devise the options blocks so choice is maximised, formal selection is then made.[8]
Subjects offered at GCSE Level:
Art
Construction
Drama/ Performing arts
Geography
English
English Literature
History
Home Economics
Hospitality
Digital Technology
Learning through Pokémon games
LLW (Learning for Life and Work)
Mathematics
Music
Performing Arts
PE
CPSW
RE
Science – Double and Single awards. Individual Sciences available on request
