THE FERMANAGH TRUST

P4 and P7 pupils at Holy Trinity Primary School, Enniskillen, Lisbellaw Primary School, Jones Memorial Primary School, Enniskillen and Enniskillen Integrated Primary School have been partners in the Shared Education programme for two years. As part of their curriculum-based activities in Year Three of the Programme, they collaborated to design and produce colourful and imaginative calendars for 2012 – each with an anti-bullying message.

The four schools are all within a five mile radius of each other and reflect some of the various sectors including Catholic Maintained, Controlled and Integrated. Their Shared Education Partnership identified bullying as a theme on which the children could engage and work together. Through the Programme the children met one another, got to know one another, learned about their similarities and differences, while developing respect and tolerance for each other.

Wider community involvement has also been a key aspect of the Programme and Partnership and the calendar launch was attended by parents, pupils, Governors, other school principals from across Fermanagh and members of the local community.

The four principals – Fintan Murphy from Holy Trinity PS, Adele Kerr from Enniskillen Integrated PS, Ingrid Logan from Lisbellaw PS and Sandra Isherwood from Jones Memorial PS  - issued a joint message saying:

“The children from the four schools have been working together on Shared Education for two years. This is our third year in partnership and our joint calendar is a tribute to the hard work and commitment of the children, classroom assistants and teachers involved. We would like to thank all our parents, the local communities and the Governors of our schools for their support for Shared Education. The benefits to the pupils and the schools have been immense, with the children mixing and making friends in a natural way. Shared Education shows there is hope for our children’s future where they will see others as friends and neighbours, despite their different religions, cultures and backgrounds”.  

Arlene Foster, MLA, whose children participate in another Shared Education Partnership in Fermanagh between Brookeborough PS and St. Eugene’s PS, The Knocks, attended the event and she said: “This is another way of bringing young people from across the divide together and the Shared Education Programme in Fermanagh is going from strength to strength”.  

Julian Fowler, parent and BBC District Journalist spoke at the launch saying: “I want to congratulate everyone for the work they put into producing these calendars. They show what can be achieved by working together”.

Lauri McCusker, Director of the Fermanagh Trust, which administers and manages the programme, welcomed the publication of the calendar saying:

“These calendars by P4 and P7 pupils reflect not just their efforts this term, but the commitment of the whole school community in each school to Shared Education. Shared Education is relevant for all sectors and in urban as well as rural areas. No matter how large or small the school, collaboration brings social, educational and economic benefits to that school and to the wider community. Through sharing and learning from one another we actually find we have more in common than what separates us. Focusing on the theme of anti-bullying is especially relevant because bullying can affect children of all religions, classes and backgrounds. The Fermanagh Trust would like to pay tribute to the Principals, school staff, children and all involved in making Shared Education the success that it is”.