News

The Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC) and Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) congratulate Ballycastle High School and Cross and Passion College on the official first sod cutting of their shared education campus in Ballycastle. The creation of this campus shows the strength of shared education collaboration between the two schools in guaranteeing that the children and young people of Ballycastle will continue to have the opportunity to join together in a shared future.

The Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC) congratulates all recipients from the education sector recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list, with a special mention to those honoured in the controlled sector. Honours are given to people from all walks of life and all sections of society who have made a difference to their community.

A pupil from Cregagh Primary School who took part in a Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC) programme described how ‘Engaging with sign’ supported him and his friends. He asked that everyone learns how to sign stating “then I can understand them and they can understand me.”

CSSC welcomes the news that an additional £80 million of capital funding for education will allow fifteen new build, extension and refurbishments projects to proceed to construction. The funding will also support the launch of a new programme of curriculum-led investment. 

CSSC's Ethos and Leadership programme for 2024/25 is now open for booking. Further details of the Ethos and Leadership programme can be accessed here.

Knockbreda Nursery is a stand alone controlled school, situated on the same campus as Knockbreda Primary School, Belfast.  

The importance of meeting the needs of children and young people within controlled schools is critical, forming part of a whole school ethos.

The launch of the findings of an organisational review of the implementation of Trauma Informed Approaches in Northern Ireland took place recently on 22 February and contains crucial research commissioned by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland and carried out by Queen’s University Belfast.

The Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC) recently delivered evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee’s Integrated Education Inquiry.

CSSC remains concerned about the unhelpful misrepresentation of controlled schools. The controlled sector is open to all in actions and not simply aspiration. As stated at the NI Affairs committee yesterday we continue to support inclusion, sharing and integration. 

CSSC believes that all sectors must work together and that the collaboration must remain respectful and evidence informed.

The  £11million shared education campus in Limavady was officially opened by the First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Education Minister Paul Givan accompanied the ministers to view the newly completed campus bringing together St Mary’s and Limavady High School sites with a range of new shared facilities.  

CCMS, the managing authority for Catholic maintained schools and CSSC, the support body for controlled schools, jointly congratulated Limavady High School and St. Mary’s High School on the official opening of our first Shared Education Campus. Limavady Shared Education Campus is a leading example of shared education and inclusion in action in the Limavady community. The opening of the campus follows decades of cooperation between the two schools ensuring the children and young people in Limavady were educated together.