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Catholic primary school could make history after receiving parents' support to become integrated

Seaview PS in Glenarm
Seaview PS in Glenarm Seaview PS in Glenarm

A SMALL Catholic primary school in Co Antrim has received overwhelming backing by parents to become become 'officially' integrated.

If successful, Seaview PS in Glenarm will be the first ever Catholic school in Northern Ireland to transform.

A ballot of parents ended yesterday, with 95 per cent voting to support the move.

The school already boasts a mixed enrolment and is expecting numbers to increase substantially over the next three years.

Principal Barry Corr said that it "just made sense" to apply for intergrated status and he hoped by September 2022 it would be achieved.

"We have just taken a major step towards becoming the first Catholic school to transform to an integrated status following a huge parental (online) response...a unanimous governor vote and a parent ballot," he said.

The vote was run by the Electoral Reform Service over the past fortnight.

Seaview's Board of Governors will now submit a development proposal to the Department of Education through the Education Authority.

No Catholic school in Northern Ireland has ever transformed.

A small number of ballots have been held at Catholic schools but just one - at Clintyclay PS in Tyrone - led to an official bid. It was turned down.