Legal challenge over Givan's integrated schools decision

The Department of Education (DE) faces legal challenges over decisions by Paul Givan to reject bids by two north Down schools to become integrated.

The education minister decided that plans by Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary School to become integrated should not proceed.

But BBC News NI understands the department has been sent pre-action letters signalling legal challenges to the minister's decisions in both cases.

When contacted, a spokesperson for DE said: "The minister's decisions are now subject to legal challenges and it is therefore inappropriate to comment at this time."

The process by which a school changes to become integrated is called transformation.

Schools can change to become formally integrated as part of a process that includes a parental vote to see if a majority are in favour.

At least half of eligible parents and guardians in a school have to vote in the ballot.

With almost 1,900 pupils, Bangor Academy is Northern Ireland's largest school.

In its ballot on becoming integrated, almost 80% of parents and guardians at Bangor Academy who voted backed the change.

Rathmore Primary received similar backing from parents for their plans, with about 82% of parents who voted agreeing with the move to become integrated.

According to documents published by DE, officials had recommended that both schools be allowed to transform to become integrated but the minister decided not to approve that recommendation.

In rejecting the bids, Givan said there was not enough evidence that there would be enough Catholic pupils at each school for it to provide integrated education.

He cited Stormont legislation which said that there should be "reasonable numbers of both Protestant and Roman Catholic children" in integrated schools.

But he faced some criticism for his decisions and they are now being legally challenged.

BBC News NI understands the department has received judicial review pre-action letters from parents of a pupil at each school.

When contacted the schools issued a joint statement.

"Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College and Rathmore Primary School are aware and supportive of potential legal challenges to the minister of education's recent decisions to deny integrated status to both schools," they said.

"In the absence of an appeals process, the Board of Governors of both schools feel that in reaching his decisions the minister has left parents no other recourse and therefore understand and support those initiating such action."