St Mary's Star of the Sea Primary School
www.stmarysbelfast.org.uk
St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary School opened on 20th May 1938.
The local community sits on an 'interface' where members of the Catholic and Protestant communities clash on a frequent basis. The area is socially disadvantaged, with many children coming from home's where one or both parents are unemployed.
Currently, we have 59.3% of pupils entitled to free school meals and 34.5% of pupils with Special Educational Needs (4.4% with statements of SEN).
We have six full-time teachers, including teaching principal, and 113 pupils. We further have 7 classroom assistants to support pupils with specific needs.
In recent years, with a growing migrant working community being established, we have seen an increase in pupils who speak English as an additional language. We also accommodate and educate pupils from non-Catholic and non-faith backgrounds.
Our participation in this project will allow our pupils to see the value of others cultures and traditions. It will allow them to examine their role in the wider, global, context and see that cultural diversity is positive. This, in turn, will allow them to recognise and appreciate the 'traditional' and 'cultural' differences that exist between their neighbours at the interface, helping to reduce tensions and animosity between the two communities.
St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary School opened on 20th May 1938.
The local community sits on an 'interface' where members of the Catholic and Protestant communities clash on a frequent basis. The area is socially disadvantaged, with many children coming from home's where one or both parents are unemployed.
Currently, we have 59.3% of pupils entitled to free school meals and 34.5% of pupils with Special Educational Needs (4.4% with statements of SEN).
We have six full-time teachers, including teaching principal, and 113 pupils. We further have 7 classroom assistants to support pupils with specific needs.
In recent years, with a growing migrant working community being established, we have seen an increase in pupils who speak English as an additional language. We also accommodate and educate pupils from non-Catholic and non-faith backgrounds.
Our participation in this project will allow our pupils to see the value of others cultures and traditions. It will allow them to examine their role in the wider, global, context and see that cultural diversity is positive. This, in turn, will allow them to recognise and appreciate the 'traditional' and 'cultural' differences that exist between their neighbours at the interface, helping to reduce tensions and animosity between the two communities.