The Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, said he wanted to see an acceleration in the number of schools opting for integrated status, believing it was an important part of the post-conflict journey of healing.

“This was one of the factors that people set out in the Belfast Good Friday agreement [BGFA] itself. We are 23 years on and still … such a small percentage of the population is able to be part of and benefit from integrated education. I think it’s just pretty poor progress,” said Lewis.

“We are in a situation where still, people in Northern Ireland first meet a Protestant or Catholic when they go to work or university. [Segregated education] just isn’t going to ever drive full reconciliation.”

Since its foundation in 1921, Northern Ireland’s education system has largely consisted of state-controlled schools, mainly attended by Protestant pupils, and Catholic maintained schools, almost exclusively attended by Catholics, says the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), a not-for-profit organisation supporting integrated education.

“I do believe in nudging and cajoling. Education is a devolved area, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have an opinion and we don’t have a right as a co-guarantor and co-signatory of the BGFA to do all we can.”