Education Minister, , has confirmed plans to
establish a new organisation to provide dedicated support to
controlled schools across Northern Ireland.
The announcement follows an eight-week public consultation that
attracted 744 responses, including almost half of all controlled
school principals, and revealed overwhelming support for change.
Ninety-one percent of respondents agreed that support for
controlled schools must improve and eighty-four percent backed
the creation of a dedicated organisation.
Commenting on the consultation, the Minister said: “School
leaders have spoken with a clear and united voice. Controlled
schools, which educate half of our pupils, have long lacked the
parity, advocacy and tailored support they need. This
consultation provides a powerful mandate for change. I want to
thank all of the school leaders and stakeholders who engaged with
the consultation and have helped to shape the way forward.”
The Minister continued: “I will move immediately to bring these
proposals back to the Executive and press for their inclusion in
the legislative programme. I hope with Executive support to
introduce the legislation to establish the new organisation later
this year. We must act decisively to deliver the dedicated
support that controlled schools both need and deserve.”
The new organisation will become the managing authority for
controlled schools, delivering sector-specific leadership, school
improvement and governance support. Its remit will mirror that of
the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) ensuring
equity across all school sectors. In responding to the
consultation, CCMS expressed strong support for the approach
taken, noting that establishing a dedicated organisation for
controlled schools “would bring the sector into line with the
statutory arrangements that have long benefitted the Catholic
maintained sector, strengthening equity and balance across the
education system. It would also provide the strategic leadership,
clarity of purpose and sectoral accountability needed to improve
outcomes for children and young people”.
Recognising that legislation will take time, the Minister
confirmed that a Controlled Schools Unit (CSU) within the
Education Authority is already being established to deliver
immediate improvements in support. The Department welcomes the
engagement between the CSU and the Controlled Schools Support
Council to align support and provide a complementary overall
offer to schools.
A full Consultation Summary Report is available on the Department
of Education website: www.education-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-establishment-new-organisation-support-controlled-schools.
A Written Ministerial Statement has also been published and can
be accessed at: www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/written-ministerial-statement-public-consultation-report-proposals-establish-dedicated-organisation-support-controlled-schools.
Notes to editors:
1. The eight-week public consultation on proposals around the
establishment of a new organisation to support controlled schools
ran from 16 October 2025 to 11 December 2025 and received 744
responses.
2. The majority of respondents (around one third) were school
leaders (principals and vice principals) and school governors
were the second largest respondent (22%). 15% of responses
were provided by parents, grandparents or guardians; 14% were
received from teachers and just less than 4% were from other
school staff.
