Board under fire for causing despair

MLA Paul Givan said: “Knockmore Primary has a strong reputation for the quality of education it provides and last year was given a very good report by the Education and Training Inspectorate. The school is unique in Lisburn with children who have special needs being wholly integrated into the mainstream education establishment. Any effort to divide the school from the special units goes against the very ethos that children with special needs should, where possible, be part of the mainstream education system. This was emphasised repeatedly by parents at the meeting and their passion and commitment to the school was undeniable.”

He continued: “The meeting with parents was understandably highly emotive and what is important now is that assurances about the future of the school are provided as quickly as possible. I have already raised this issue with the Education Minister and have asked for a meeting to raise the concerns that have been highlight by parents.”

Councillors Paul Porter and Alan Carlisle both attended the meeting. They said afterwards: “We will be seeking the support of the Council at the next meeting as it is clear to us that Knockmore Primary is being targeted by the Education Board despite the special units that are an integral part of the school providing an opportunity for children that need extra assistance but are also included within mainstream education.

“The school has our support and it is important to emphasise there are no current proposals to close the school and we will do all that we can to seek a resolution to this very unsatisfactory handling of the issue by the Education Board.”

Alderman Jonathan Craig has raised this issue with the Chief Executive of the South Eastern Education Board Stanton Sloan who has assured him that no proposals have been made about the school.

“Clearly there are discussions taking place and therefore it is important that a strong challenge is made to the assertion put forward at the meeting that the special units are not part of the mainstream school which very clearly the parents consider it to be.

“The fact that enrolment at Knockmore Primary School increased this year and is in line with other schools in the area begs the question why it is being singled out? There are also legal considerations that I believe the Board may not have considered in that they are required to intervene in a school if they believe it to be necessary and in this case no such intervention has been made, indeed when applications have been made for a nursery unit, which would help the school this has been refused.

“These are issues that with my colleagues we will bring before the relevant authorities and work together with parents, teachers and Board of Governors for the school.”

Mr Craig has secured an Adjournment Debate at the assembly on the future of Dunmurry High School and Knockmore Primary School. This issue is scheduled to be discussed on Tuesday 25 October 25.