Information on school types in Northern Ireland

Controlled Schools

Controlled (nursery, primary, special, secondary and grammar schools) are under the management of the schools Board of Governors and the employing authority is the Education Authority (EA).

Contact details: 

• Education Authority (EA)

The Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC) is a non-statutory body, providing services in supporting and representing the controlled education sector.

Contact details:

• Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC)

Maintained Schools

CSTS is a non-statutory body which provides professional assistance to the Trustees of Catholic-managed schools in support of DE policies.

Contact details:

• Home - Catholic Schools Trustee Service (catholiceducation-ni.org)
• Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)

Irish-medium schools

Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG) is the NDPB set up to encourage and promote Irish-medium education.

Contact details:

• Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta – – Irish Medium Education | Immersion Education | Bilingual Learning

Other Maintained Schools

Primary, special and secondary.

Voluntary (grammar) and Integrated Schools

GBA is a non-statutory body which provides professional assistance to the voluntary grammar schools in support of DE policies.

Contact Details:

• Governing Bodies Association Northern Ireland – Representing the interests of voluntary grammar schools in Northern Ireland. (gbani.org)                                                                                         

The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) is the NDPB set up to encourage and promote integrated education.

Contact details:

• NI Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) - NI Council for Integrated Education

Institutions of Further and Higher Education

For more information relating to Colleges of Further Education you can visit:

• nidirect - Further Education (FE) Colleges