The Department of Education are committed to a process of encouraging schools across Northern Ireland to partner together more systematically.  In particularly, they want schools that traditionally serve the protestant or catholic community to come together.

The goals of developing these partnerships include:

• Improving the standards of achievement of all our pupils;
• Increasing the skills of staff in partnering schools;
• Enhancing the use of resources of the schools involved;
• To help children develop more friendships across the community;
• To empower all stakeholders to be able to embrace diversity;
• To impact community relations now and in the future.

In August 2015 St. James’s Primary School & Nursery Unit and Whitehouse Primary School & Nursery Unit were delighted to receive funding for Shared Education for a three-year period. This has now been extended to allow us to continue our work together.

Both schools have a very genuine friendship that extends back well over twenty years.  The schools have engaged in a range of projects that have impacted our pupils and parents during this time. 

Shared Education funding has, however, allowed us to bring our friendship and ability to cooperate to a new level of excellence.

Currently, our Year 1 - 3 pupils are taking part in a project that promotes outdoor learning, friendship building and community connections.