McCausland boosts education for pupils at St. Colmcille’s Primary, Downpatrick.

Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has announced funding of almost £219,000 for a nurturing programme in St Columcille’s Primary School at the Downpatrick Neighbourhood Renewal Area.
~ Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Welcoming the project the Minister said: “This is great news for pupils at St Colmcille’s Primary School and their parents. The project will enable the school to provide a means for meeting the educational needs of children who, for whatever reason, may experience difficulty settling in a mainstream classroom. It will offer a safe and welcoming environment to promote learning and positive behaviours allowing pupils to be taught in a way which will address their difficulties and enable them to return to mainstream classes as quickly as possible."

The project was developed by the South Eastern Education and Library Board and St Columcille’s Primary School working with officials from DSD. It was endorsed by the Downpatrick Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board who recognised its potential to contribute to an improvement in the educational attainment of the children from the Downpatrick Neighbourhood Renewal Area.

Minister McCausland concluded: “I recognise that if we are to tackle the long term spiral of deprivation we must improve the life chances of our children. It is vital that regardless of their background, they are given the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Results indicate that the educational attainment of children from deprived areas is consistently lower than that of children from more affluent areas. I want to help change this situation and this nurturing programme, together with other programmes which are currently being developed, will help to achieve this.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy ‘People and Place’ was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has four interlinking strategic objectives.
   • Community Renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas.
   • Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy.
   • Social Renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments.
   • Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
2. Media enquires to DSD Communications Team on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.