Straid Primary: expressions of interest sought for integrated transformation

In December the Newtownabbey Times reported how one hundred per cent of parents who participated in a ballot were in favour of plans to transform Straid Primary to integrated status, according to integrated education campaigners.

The poll was carried out by Civica Election Services and every adult registered as a parent or guardian was eligible to vote in confidence on the school’s future.

The results were welcomed by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) and Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE).

Speaking to this newspaper, a spokesperson for the Irish Hill Road school’s PTA said: “Straid Primary School at the end of last year ran a parental ballot through CIVICA exploring transforming to become an integrated primary school. We had an 80.8 per cent response from parents with 100 per cent wishing to become an integrated school.

“We have a vision of becoming the first integrated primary school in the Ballyclare area. We are currently putting together a ‘case for change’ to transform. A strong part of this is to gather ‘Expression of Interest forms’ from people in the area who would wish to send their children to an integrated primary school -a school where Catholic, Protestant, other faiths and none can all learn together within an environment where the beliefs and traditions of all are equally valued.”

The next step will be compiling a development proposal, which will be submitted to the Department of Education. The Minister for Education will then make the final decision.

In May 2021 the Times reported how residents in the village had vowed to keep the school open after the Education Authority (EA) announced it was taking forward a proposal for the discontinuance of the facility with effect from September 1, 2023.

To complete an expression of interest form, click here

The link can also be found on the Straid Primary School Facebook page.

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