To ask the Minister of Education (i) what actions have been taken against each of the recommendations contained in the Independent Review of Integrated Education; and (ii) what recommendations will not be actioned.

Recommendations 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Independent Review of Education have been actioned/ are in progress. The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) is a participant in the Area Planning Structures established by DE; updated guidance for schools seeking to Transform to integrated status was published in December 2017; the Education Authority (EA) has established the Shared Education and Sectoral Support Team; the length of time a Transformed school can access support funding has increased from three to five years; Fresh Start capital funding has been provided for integrated and shared education schools; when a Development Proposal to grow is approved, minor works provides for temporary accommodation whilst planning is ongoing; current practice is to design schools to allow for future growth where a site permits, however construction in advance of need risks a nugatory spend of public money so is not considered good practice.

Recommendations 2 and 22 are within the remit of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) to take forward as it is charged with the promotion of integrated education and my Department does not promote any sector above another. Grant-maintained integrated schools are their own employing authorities and engagement has taken place with the EA about how they can access e.g. human resource advice.

It is my intention that a range of the recommendations should be considered within the wider review of education; I will be bringing forward proposals to the Executive on this in due course. These are recommendations 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 33, 37 and 38.

I have agreed that recommendations 5, 18, 21, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36 and 39 should not be taken forward at this time. Fresh start capital funding has specific and set parameters and NICIE has advised it does not consider the kitemark to be the most effective means of celebrating integrated success. The Education and Training Inspectorate self-evaluation framework and the policy position in Learning Leaders: Teacher Professional Learning are not intended to be sector specific.