“See You In September” Says St Mary’s Fivemiletown

ST MARY’S Primary School in Fivemiletown is fighting back against those who threatened it with closure, and preparing to welcome another increased intake of pupils this September.

Whilst CCMS had sought to close the school by  August 31, the school mounted a high profile campaign to stay open, including a protest at which hundreds of people lined the street to show their support, and the submission of over 9,000 objections to closure to the Department of Education.

Following confirmation from the Education Authority that they have initiated an investigation into certain aspects of the closure plan, the Department has finally confirmed that no decision will be taken within the timescale set out by CCMS.

Welcoming that confirmation, campaign lead Mairaid Kelly said, “We are delighted to finally be able to confirm to parents and children in our local community that St Mary’s Fivemiletown will be back in September doing what we do best, and that’s providing high quality education. We will also be welcoming a new intake of children to primary one, as our school continues to go from strength to strength, in spite of this lingering threat to our long term survival. The reality is this: if CCMS’ case to close our school by 31 August was robust, we wouldn’t now be in a situation where there are legal and other investigatory processes ongoing to determine whether it was ever an appropriate decision to recommend us for closure in the first place.”

“Our school stands on its own merits and can show objective evidence why it must be allowed to remain open. We will even be opening an additional classroom from September to manage our rising enrolment, despite everything our school has been through this year. Our community has stood full square behind us and shown its opposition to this proposal, and it’s about time that was recognised and we were given the space to flourish and thrive as we know we can when we are free of this process.”

The school has continued to enjoy extensive political support, with First Minister Designate Michelle O’Neill MLA adding her name to the list of those calling for its retention in recent weeks and months. After their most recent visits to the school this week, Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLAs Deborah Erskine and Colm Gildernew both welcomed the clarity provided for parents and children in the local community.

Sinn Féin MlA Colm Gildernew said, “It’s a significant credit to the entire school community that St Mary’s is in such a strong position to be welcoming new children and increasing its capacity from next September. That doesn’t just happen: small schools who are threatened with closure usually see their enrolments fall away as people lose confidence in them. The exact opposite is happening here, and that in itself should be a strong signal to those who are making decisions that this school is valued and valuable. We in Sinn Féin will be continuing to do everything we can to support the school and ensure it remains part of the Fivemiletown community for many years to come.”

Fermanagh and South Tyrone DUP MLA Deborah Erskine said, “Preparing for your child to start school for the first time should be an enjoyable experience, and for many parents in Fivemiletown there has been a question mark in their mind as to whether St Mary’s would be there for them in September. I’m so pleased they now have that certainty, but it’s incredibly important that the long term position is confirmed as a matter of urgency. “