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  • Information on school types in Northern Ireland

    Topics:
    • Schools and infrastructure, 
    • Schools' management, 
    • Types of schools

    The education system in Northern Ireland consists of different types of schools under the control of management committees who are also the employers of teachers.

    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

    Related content

    • Disposal of school records
    • Establishing an integrated school
    • Exceptional closure days - Northern Ireland
    • Independent schools
    • Independent schools registration
    • Information on the Reconstitution of Voluntary Grammar School Boards of Governors
    • Integrated schools
    • Irish-medium schools
    • Jointly managed schools
    • List of Irish-medium schools
    • More time to apply to be a Chairperson of the Board of the Education Authority (EA)
    • Procurement
    • Recording pupil absences
    • School holidays
    • School policies and procedures
    • Suspensions and expulsions
    • Suspensions and expulsions
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