A NORTH Belfast nursery school will become the first standalone nursery school to transform to integrated status in the North.
Brefne Nursery School on Salisbury Avenue is the fourth school to be approved to transform to integrated status in four months, with its transformation complete in September.
An overwhelming 92 per cent of Brefne parents voted in favour of the integrated move in September 2019 and outgoing Education Minister Peter Weir has ratified the proposal for change.
Victoria McGimpsey, Principal of Brefne Nursery School, said: “I am absolutely delighted to hear the fantastic news that the Education Minister has approved our Development Proposal to transform to controlled integrated status.
"We are extremely proud to be the first Nursery School in Northern Ireland to transform and believe this marks a bright and exciting future for nursery education in Northern Ireland. At Brefne Nursery our focus is always the children. They are at the centre of everything we do.
“We have always encouraged children and families to come together to celebrate their differences in the hope that we are giving the children a positive beginning to their lifelong educational journey, both inside and outside of the school building. We cannot thank everyone enough who has supported and guided us throughout this process and look forward to sharing the celebrations with all involved over the coming weeks.”
Elaine Crozier, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, added: “We are all delighted and encouraged that from September 2021, Brefne Nursery School will become Northern Ireland’s first standalone integrated nursery school.
"This is the formal recognition of the complexion of our school community, which has seen children of all backgrounds being educated together for the past 50 years. It is a great reward for decades of hard work and a marvellous way to end the school year!”
Tina Merron, Chief Executive of Integrated Education Fund, said: “We are delighted to welcome Brefne Nursery School as the first ever transformed nursery. There has been a huge surge in demand for transformation to integrated status from parents and schools over the last few years. The IEF has been working closely with the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education to provide support to Brefne Nursery School and indeed all the schools where parents have voted in favour of integration.
“The vote at Brefne echoes the evidence from successive opinion polls which show a growing desire for integrated education throughout Northern Ireland. With this latest announcement the Minister has acknowledged and fulfilled his statutory duty to ‘encourage and facilitate’ integrated education in Northern Ireland.”
