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My latest article takes a critical look at the challenges facing Northern Ireland’s cross-community Integrated school sector, concluding that it must change to survive. Some highlights in a 🧵 below...

Surveys show that community and religious identities split three ways in Northern Ireland today, with young adults rejecting its traditional binary classifications in increasing numbers.

The appetite for Integrated Education is greatest amongst those who reject the traditional binary labels.

Non-religious and mixed-religion families also prefer Integrated schools, to a greater extent than families who identify with a single Christian denomination.

Amongst religious families, frequency of church attendance correlates negatively with preferences for Integrated Education.

The sector discriminates on the basis of religion, aspiring to a 40/40/20 mix of Protestant, Catholic and other pupils. But these targets are out of step with enrolments.

Nearly 60% of pupils at Integrated secondary schools now identify as non-Christian, yet the sector hasn’t updated its Statement of Principles since 2008, when far fewer did.