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Integrated primary school offering community support

Robbie Meredith
BBC NI education and arts correspondent
BBC A woman wearing a cream coloured sweater with brown hair looking at the camera. Behind her are information stalls set up in a school hall BBC
Joanne Adair is a parent of children at Cranmore Integrated Primary School in Belfast

"The way we went to school in the 90s, this is very different for our children going to school now."

Joanne Adair is a parent of children at Cranmore Integrated Primary School in Belfast.

She spoke to BBC News NI at the school's first "community day", which aimed to let parents and children know about various services for them in their area.

If a family needs help or support outside the classroom, school is increasingly the first place they turn to.

So teachers and schools are often the gateway for families to other services.

And that was the point of Cranmore's initiative, to bring that support directly to parents.

From debt advice, churches and children's charities, to cancer support and organisations for Muslim pupils and parents, all were brought under the school's roof for the day.

A man wearing reading glasses, a blue shirt, navy tie and burgundy sweater is smiling at the camera. Behind him are information stalls set up in a school hall
Teacher Andrew Duggan is one of the organisers of the initiative

Teacher Andrew Duggan was one of the organisers.

"Families aren't always aware of the support that's available to them within the local community," he told BBC News NI.

"Next to parents, teachers spend the most time with children."

"So when parents need support they'll pop their heads in and say 'do you know anybody I can speak to about this or that? Can you put us in touch with the right person?'

"That really was one of the big parts of organising something like this."

And for Joanne Adair, the fair was a reminder of changes since her own schooldays.

"Me and my husband are from different community backgrounds and the way we went to school in the 90s, this is very different for our children going to school now," she said.

"They probably think it was really archaic the way we went to school, you know, very segregated communities.

"We didn't live very far apart from each other, but very segregated for most of our lives.

"They just have a much wider range of education in terms of faiths and cultures and stuff and I just think it's just lovely.

"There's not this fear of something that's different, because you've just grown up with each other."

'It's really helpful for us'

Two women wearing light coloured hijabs, they are both smiling at the camera. Behind them is an information board with blue balloons tied to the corners
Heba Bargash (left) and Hiba Haj Omer are observing Ramadan and answering questions about it at the community day.

According to statistics published by the Department of Education (DE), Cranmore's 240 pupils are almost equally from Protestant, Catholic and other backgrounds.

So representatives of local churches, who offer services to families and youth groups for children, had stalls in the school hall alongside the Northern Ireland Islamic Society.

Hiba Haj Omer is a member of school staff and also has children at the school.

"In the beginning when I came here to Northern Ireland I was worried, especially with my kids to adapt," she said.

"But when I came here to Cranmore School I felt very comfortable.

"The school is really integrated and respectful for everyone.

"It's really helpful for us."

During the month of March Hiba is observing Ramadan, which means fasting during daylight hours.

Heba Barghash, who came to Northern Ireland from Egypt, is also observing Ramadan and was answering questions about it at the community day.

"It gives the students more information, and also to be aware of the culture for their Muslim friends in the same school," she told BBC News NI.

She also said that schools were really important in helping pupils and families feel welcome if they came into a new country.

"When any school asks us to come and visit to help with this, it makes really the students feel more comfortable," she said.

"Once we visit them they feel ok, we are here, we are one of the society."

A bearded man wearing a green sweater looks directly at the camera, he has a smile on his face
Paul Kane thinks schools can play a central role in the community

Paul Kane, who has three children at Cranmore, said schools are "a portal to what's going on out there" for families.

"Having come through a period of homelessness in my own life and having to rely on food banks when I was much younger, it's actually refreshing to see my kids realising that they can support people in their community by donating to the food bank through the school," he said.

"Giving back to the community in which families can help, that's a big message to the children."

And for Joanne Adair, that sense of community is one of the reasons she sent her children to Cranmore.

"It's a great wee school," she said.

"It's great to see so many different organisations and churches coming here.

"This brings it all together and makes you aware of what there is on your own doorstep."