LORD Mayor of Belfast Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly visited Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School to meet pupils and staff and celebrate some recent award wins recognising the school's commitment to cultural diversity, language learning and inclusive education.
During a special school assembly, the Lord Mayor joined Principal Nicola Dougan in presenting two awards highlighting the school's dedication to providing exceptional learning opportunities and support for all pupils.
Among them was Autism NI’s Impact Award for Education, demonstrating the school’s commitment to inclusion for autistic and neurodivergent students, and their families. Staff received tailored training from Autism NI and implemented a bespoke action plan of adjustments across the school, to build a more inclusive environment.
In addition, the school was recently awarded a Foundation level in the International School Award by the British Council in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom through its provision of Mandarin lessons.
Speaking to staff and pupils during the visit, the Lord Mayor of Belfast said: “Comhghairdeas on your recent award wins. These are a fantastic achievement and reflect the hard work of pupils and staff across the school.
“Your dedication to ensuring all of your pupils feel supported and nurtured is evident in the staff team and it is lovely to hear how the children are embracing languages with their Mandarin language programme.
“The school is setting a wonderful example on the importance of diversity and inclusion.”
Principal Nicola Dougan thanked the Lord Mayor for visiting the school and recognising its recent achievements.
"Our awards are the result of dedication, hard work and commitment right across our staff team who go the extra mile to ensure our children are given the opportunity to flourish at school," she said.
“The awards we have won recently show how our school community is a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone.
“To have the privilege of the Lord Mayor sharing in our celebrations was a real point of excitement for our pupils and it was wonderful for them to hear from Belfast’s First Citizen about the work she does in promoting our city and its growing diversity.”
