County Antrim Catholic school 'boosted' by integration plan

Enrolment has risen by around 50% since the school announced plans to become integrated

A County Antrim school has been boosted by plans to become the first Catholic primary school in Northern Ireland to change to integrated status.

Seaview Primary School in Glenarm is seeking integration due to a fall in numbers.

The plan, which is under consultation, was instigated by parents concerned about its future.

The popularity of the proposal prompted a 50% increase in enrolment for the school's reopening on Wednesday.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, school principal Barry Corr said integration was something the school had been thinking about for a number of years.

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He said the impetus came from parents who had voted overwhelmingly in favour of change, with the approval of governors and the wider community.

Mr Corr said the decision "made sense" considering the mix of families and staff associated with the school. He added that there was recognition that "as a Catholic school it wasn't going to work".

"Last year our numbers went down to 42 pupils and we let people know we were going down the integrated route.

"Parents had a vote and 95% of them voted in favour of it," he said.

"We are starting today with 66 pupils so there has been an increase of over 50% of our pupil population because of our decision to go integrated."

Move mirrored in Republic of Ireland

Three rural Catholic schools in County Kerry and County Roscommon will make history in Ireland this week when they transfer to multi-denominational patronage.

The Iveragh Penninsula Gaeltacht school Scoil an Ghleanna is the first of three schools to switch patronage for the new academic year.

Lecarrow School in County Roscommon, and Tahilla National School also in Kerry will both also reopen this week as multi-denominational community national schools.

Parish Priest Father Patsy Lynch is helping Scoil an Gleanna make the change, which he said was also due to falling enrolment.

He said there was some opposition to the plans but 70% of people were in favour.

Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, Father Lynch said the change moved the "onus of faith from the school to the home".

"I think it is a great thing, it is the way ahead," he said.