The Education Reform(Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Proposals for acquisition of controlled integrated status

92.—(1) Where in the case of any controlled or voluntary school which is eligible for controlled integrated status the result of a ballot held in accordance with Article 70 (as applied by Article 91) shows a simple majority of votes cast in the ballot by persons eligible to vote in the ballot (within the meaning of that Article (as so applied)) in favour of seeking controlled integrated status for the school, it shall be the duty of the relevant board to submit a proposal for the acquisition of controlled integrated status for the school to the Department together with its views thereon.

(2) Where a board proposes to establish a new controlled integrated school, it shall submit the proposal to the Department.

(3) A proposal under paragraph (1) or (2) shall be in such form and contain such particulars (including the proposed date of implementation) as may be required by the Department and a proposal under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Department within such time as may be so required.

(4) A board, after submitting a proposal to the Department under paragraph (1) or (2), shall—

(a) forthwith publish by advertisement in one or more newspapers circulating in the area affected by the proposal a notice stating—

(i) such particulars of the nature of the proposal as may be required by the Department;

(ii) that the proposal has been submitted to the Department;

(iii) that a copy of the proposal can be inspected at a specified place;

(iv) that objections to the proposal can be made to the Department within two months of the date specified in the advertisement, being the date on which the advertisement first appears;

(b) furnish to any person, on application, a copy of the proposal on payment of such reasonable sum as the board may determine.

(5) Subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), the Department, after considering any objections to a proposal made to it within the time specified in the notice under paragraph (4)(a)(iv), may, after making such modification, if any, in the proposal as, after consultation with the board making the proposal, it considers necessary or expedient, approve the proposal and inform that board accordingly.

(6) The Department shall not approve a proposal under this Article in relation to a school unless it appears to the Department that, if the school were to become, or be established as, a controlled integrated school, the school would be likely to be attended by reasonable numbers of both Protestant and Roman Catholic pupils.

(7) The Department shall not approve a proposal under paragraph (1) in relation to a school unless the school was eligible for controlled integrated status on the date on which the proposal was submitted under that paragraph.

(8) Where the Department rejects any proposal under paragraph (1) in relation to a school, it may require the board to submit a further proposal under that paragraph within such period as it may direct.

(9) Where a proposal under paragraph (1) or (2) in respect of any school is approved by the Department—

(a) the school shall become, or be established as, a controlled integrated school on the proposed date of implementation; and

(b) the relevant board shall make provision by means of a Board of Governors appointed by the board for the management of the school as a controlled integrated school on and from that date.

(10) The provisions of the Education Orders shall, subject to any express provision to the contrary, apply to a controlled integrated school in like manner as they apply to a controlled school which is not a controlled integrated school.