NEWS FROM THE INTEGRATED EDUCATION MOVEMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND LEARNING TOGETHERISSUE 35 SPRING/SUMMER 2020 IN THIS issue BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE VOTE FOR INTEGRATION AT GLENGORMLEY HS GIANT SUPPORT FOR TRANSFORMATION 02 LEARNING TOGETHER ISSUE 35 2020 ello. I am very pleased to bring you issue 35 of Learning Together. There have been many positive developments for the Hintegrated education movement recently, and we know that it is important both to celebrate and build on progress. The parental vote to take Glengormley High School (see opposite) along the path to becoming officially integrated is one cause for celebration, offering many more families the opportunity to access integrated post-primary education. It reflects a growing interest in the process called ‘transformation’ which we see on the Integrate My Bangor Central Nursery School. School website and through attendance at events where the team can share information with parents and schools. PLAYING AND LEARNING The New Decade New Approach agreement, which paved the way TOGETHER FROM THE for the return of the NI Assembly, included a welcome commitment to EARLY YEARS an independent, external review of education in NI. The IEF has been Following the successful parental ballots parents to register, confidentially, their campaigning for this move and polling of two stand-alone nurseries to become wish to see their own school begin this research has shown that there is a high integrated in 2019, the IEF has launched process. level of public support. On page 10 a new initiative to encourage parents to you can read how this has now gained support the integration of their nursery A key step early in the process is a cross-party support at both Stormont schools. ballot of parents on their support for and Westminster. transformation. If a majority votes in Both Bangor Central Nursery School and favour, then the school will submit a I know schools are always glad to Brefne Nursery School in north Belfast proposal to become integrated which will welcome visitors and show them held parental ballots last year, with the be considered by the Education Authority integration in action and you can read vast majority of parents backing their and the Department of Education, followed more about some of these visits on nursery school’s proposal to become by a final decision by the Minister of pages 3, 4 and 13. officially integrated. Education. Schools have been facing major The IEF’s ‘Integrating in the early years’ Bangor Central NS principal, Pamela challenges this year and we are lets more parents know they can help Algie, commented: “This is a great all looking forward to getting back bring integration to their child’s nursery opportunity for very young children to normal. Meanwhile, the IEF has school, and encourages more nursery from all communities to learn together been working to continue to support schools to get on board. daily. This nursery school has always integrated education and to plan for welcomed families from all traditions and further progress in our campaign for “Integrating in the early years aims to backgrounds. We have been providing pre- reform of the education system in help break down barriers, nurture good school education in Bangor since 1942 and Northern Ireland. relations and support nursery schools to now, with overwhelming parental approval, become actively welcoming to children we are on the path to become the first of all backgrounds and traditions,” says stand-alone integrated nursery school in Jill Caskey, IEF’s Parental Engagement Northern Ireland.” Campaign Manager. Schools receive support throughout “There are 95 stand-alone nursery schools the transformation process from the NI in Northern Ireland, all of which are either Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), Controlled or Catholic maintained. But so the Education Authority (EA), and the IEF. many parents want their family to enjoy the opportunity to learn alongside others As part of the nursery school initiative, from diverse community backgrounds the IEF and NICIE hosted a one-day from the earliest stage of education.” conference called “Integrating in the Early Years, STEM and Outdoor Play”. Twenty- The www.integratemyschool.com website five nursery schools were represented at outlines the process of transformation to the event last October, which consisted of Maddy Bridgman integrated status. The site also enables a series of workshops on the key themes. Forestview, Purdy’s Lane, Belfast, BT8 7AR Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group + 44 (0)28 9069 4099 e: [email protected] www.ief.org.uk 39 Boucher Road, www.fb.com/IntegratedEducationFund www.twitter.com/iefni Belfast BT12 6UT Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland: NIC104886 Tel: 028 9066 3311 and with Companies House: NI636289 03 NICIE patron Carl Frampton with staff and pupils at Glengormley HS. PARENTS SAY “YES” TO INTEGRATED EDUCATION AT GLENGORMLEY HIGH SCHOOL Parents at Glengormley High School in “We have a diverse school community and backgrounds, beliefs and traditions to Newtownabbey delivered a resounding vote this is a natural step for us to take. Working learn alongside each other – and from each for integration in March when they were closely with our staff and partners, we will other. There is now the potential to offer balloted on the possibility of the school now begin the process of preparing our hundreds more integrated school places becoming officially integrated. development plan for transformation, for to families in the Newtownabbey and north Principal Ricky Massey declared himself the Minister’s approval.” Belfast area to meet the evident demand.” thrilled with the result which showed more than 70% support for the school to move IEF staff worked with colleagues in the NI Boxer Carl Frampton, a patron of NICIE towards transformation to integrated Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) who is also a past pupil of Glengormley HS, status. Thanking the parents for their to engage with and inform parents and visited the school earlier in March to show engagement he said: “The governors, support the school as it prepared for his support for the move. He was delighted leadership and staff are delighted with the the ballot, which is the first stage in the with the ballot result: “Integrated education overwhelmingly positive outcome from our transformation process. is something I have talked about for a long parental ballot and a very strong message time. I believe it is the way forward for kids of ‘Yes’ for integration. The future is Welcoming the news, IEF Chief Executive here. In some ways, Northern Ireland has looking very promising for our school and Tina Merron said: “This is a fantastic moved ahead and in others it has stood the surrounding community as we prepare endorsement from the Glengormley still, that’s why I’m so passionate about for educating all pupils together where High School community for the model supporting the development of integrated they can learn, play and grow as one. of education which brings children of all education in any way I can.” US CONSUL GENERAL MARKS ROSA PARKS DAY WITH PUPILS Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau, US Consul presentations on the topic, developed and to support the school transforming to General in Northern Ireland, met pupils delivered by every pupil in the class using integrated status and the Consul General at Harding Memorial Primary School in i-pads and displayed on the whiteboard. was very interested to hear about the south-east Belfast on 04 February to help school’s commitment to becoming mark Rosa Parks Day. Rosa Parks was In 2019, an overwhelming majority of integrated and the Harding Memorial an activist in the American civil rights parents at Harding Memorial PS voted community’s progress along this path. movement known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. Ms Kennedy Trudeau was joined at Harding Memorial PS by Baroness May Blood, Campaign Chair of the IEF, and Fund staff Paul Caskey and Jill Caskey. The guests were welcomed to the school by principal Stephen Cumper, chair of the board of governors Gerry Fleming, and a delegation of pupils with strong family connections to the US. Ms Kennedy Trudeau took the opportunity to chat informally with some of the youngest pupils at the school then visited US Consul General Elizabeth Kennedy the P7 classroom to watch a lesson Trudeau with Harding Memorial PS on Rosa Parks. The visitors enjoyed principal Stephen Cumper and pupils. 04 LEARNING TOGETHER ISSUE 35 2020 CLIFTONVILLE IPS WELCOMES VIP FRIENDS Pupils, staff and parents at Cliftonville Integrated Primary School welcomed Baroness May Blood, (IEF Campaign Chair), Alan Nappin of the ARN Foundation and Desmond Wilson of the Wilson Group in December, to see how their generous support is helping this thriving north Belfast school. The visitors arrived in time to see a performance of the children’s Christmas show before touring the building. The ARN foundation is supporting the development Pupils at Cliftonville IPS with (l-r) Alan Nappin, Rev Jim Wilkinson (school governor) Bill Fletcher of a new outdoor classroom and polytunnel (principal) Colin Nimmon and Desmond Wilson (Wilson Group) and Baroness May Blood. which will enable Cliftonville IPS pupils and the wider community to enjoy receive a new book every month sent to gone from strength to strength, with pupil gardening. their home, helping to improve literacy numbers increasing from 145 pupils in skills and develop a love of reading. The 2009 to almost 400 today. Desmond Wilson is very kindly supporting Cliftonville Dolly Parton Library is the first Cliftonville IPS’s Dolly Parton’s in Northern Ireland. Principal Bill Fletcher joined deputy Imagination Library for the next three chair of the Board of Governors, Rev Jim years. The Imagination Library is a book Since parents voted for transformation Wilkinson, in thanking the guests for their scheme in which pupils of five and under to integrated status, Cliftonville IPS has generous support.