Shared Education supports children and young people from different communities to learn together in school partnerships on a regular basis. Its aim is to improve educational and community reconciliation outcomes in Northern Ireland.
As members of the Shared Education initiative, Ballymacash Primary School has enjoyed building a friendship and partnership with the staff and pupils of St Aloysius Primary School here in Lisburn. As a staff we have been working alongside our KS2 colleagues at St Aloysius to provide opportunities for our pupils to learn and play together. Year groups are linked from P5 to P7, building friendships as they come back together each year.
Examples of activities they have enjoyed together include rocket building and drama workshops, Activity NI sports sessions, trips to the Linen Centre, debating, visiting Stormont and Windsor Park, animation courses and World Cup style sporting extravaganzas.
A highlight every year, however, is simply getting to visit each other’s schools and spending time together playing in each other’s playgrounds! Every year our pupils have told us how much they enjoy making friends with the pupils from St Aloysius, and we know that as they move on it has been a real bonus to recognise St Aloysius pupils in their new schools.
You can keep up to date with our activities from this year in the folders on this page!