Pupils taste the world with diversity brunch

Ballycraigy Primary School has pupils from different cultures and backgrounds

An Antrim school has held a cultural diversity week to ensure pupils from all backgrounds feel welcome in the school.

As part of its week exploring inclusion, Ballycraigy Primary School hosted a tasting of foods from around the world.

It decided on the move because of an increase in the number of pupils coming from other countries.

Principal Kerrie Wilson said she wanted to make sure all pupils feel welcome at Ballycraigy Primary School.

“Within our school we have increasing numbers of students coming from different cultures and backgrounds and we want everybody inside our Ballycraigy community to feel part of it," she said.

Our overarching ethos is one of nurturing so everybody is welcome here in our school.”

Ballycraigy pupils enjoying a food tasting

Nosipho Muzvidziwa moved to Northern Ireland from South Africa last year. Her daughter is a pupil at Ballycraigy Primary and she said she had been relieved by the warm welcome.

“Coming to this country was not easy for us," she explained.

"We don’t know anyone here and we don’t have any family or anything.

"So for Ballycraigy Primary School to have an inclusion week and for them to make us feel like we are part of the family that is very, very important. And I do not take that for granted.”

Nosipho said she had never encountered any issues around her race in Ballycraigy. "Everyone is embracing us. I am happy here now," she said.

Nosipho Muzvidziwa moved to Northern Ireland from South Africa

Among the delicacies on offer at the food tasting were Chinese soups, Indian daal and fruits from South America.

One of the pupils, Kwabena, also known as KO, brought in some noodles which are popular in Ghanian culture.

“My friends absolutely loved the noodles; they’d never tried them before but they were a bit spicy," he said.

His friend Addison said she had yet to try them, but added "I think that they are amazing”.