Downshire Nursery School in Banbridge has officially joined Northern Ireland’s growing network of Integrated schools, opening its doors this September.
The transformation of Downshire Integrated Nursery School (INS) comes after a majority of parents at the nursery voted in favour of the move, with the Education Minister approving the proposal earlier this year.
Downshire is one of three nurseries to achieve Integrated status in September 2025, alongside Ballymena INS and Magherafelt INS. Their addition brings the total number of Integrated schools across Northern Ireland to 76, with more than 28,000 pupils now being educated in the sector.
Integrated Education allows children from different religious, cultural, and social backgrounds to learn together, fostering inclusion from the earliest years of schooling.
Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), praised the work of staff, governors and parents at Downshire and the two other nurseries:
“We congratulate the Board of Governors, staff and parents of all three schools on their successful Transformation to Integrated status. We know that it has taken a lot of time, dedication and commitment from the entire school community to complete this process and become an Integrated school. We believe the communities of Ballymena, Downshire, and Magherafelt will see a significant positive difference from the provision of these new Integrated places.”
Sean Pettis, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), added: “This is a vibrant group of schools whose staff show great dedication and commitment to educating children together at the very crucial first stage of their educational journey – laying solid foundations for the years ahead.”
The move marks a milestone for Banbridge, where Downshire parents’ backing for Integrated status reflects a wider trend of interest in transformation across the nursery sector.
Earlier examples include Brefne Nursery in Belfast, which became the first standalone nursery to transform in 2021, followed by Bangor Nursery in 2022. There are now five Integrated nursery schools in total.
