Schools learn to play nice together

Published on Thursday 9 June 2011 11:49

TWO schools embroiled in a bitter row over accommodation have agreed to work together to create a new nursery playground.

Pupils and parents from St Joseph's and Broomhouse primaries have put their differences to one side and have been brought together to fundraise for new playground equipment.

Tensions between the two schools, which share a joint campus, broke out last March when education chiefs proposed that the schools switch buildings to cater for the growing numbers of pupils at St Joseph's RC Primary.

Broomhouse parents did not agree with the plan, and presented the city's education committee with a 567-signature petition against the move.

It led to bad blood, with fights and squabbles taking place between the pupils and parents being unable to "even look at each other crossing the street".

But a compromise was reached earlier this year, which will see St Joseph's occupy some of Broomhouse's classrooms in a shared wing from August. Since then, the pupils have been working together on a number of projects and initiatives in a bid to eradicate the problems between them.

Moves to improve relations include joint playtime on a Friday, shared assemblies and joint sports teams.

The parents from both schools have also formed a joint fundraising committee, which has seen them raise 14,000 for the nursery playground through grants and fundraising events.

Carol Munro, chairwoman of the Broomhouse parent council, said the new-found friendship between the two schools is "something good that's come out of something bad".

She said: "It's absolutely fantastic what we have achieved, it's really brought us together. When the council originally came up with this proposal, all hell broke loose. St Joseph's are very passionate about their school and Broomhouse are very passionate about theirs."

Nursery nurse Carla Pagliarulo, from St Joseph's, said: "We share an outdoor area with Broomhouse nursery class and the nursery nurse from Broomhouse, Janice Ramsey, and I set up a parents fundraising team to help develop our outdoor garden.

"We applied for grants from BAA and the Lottery, and had various fundraisers led by the parents. We were successful in both the grants and received 14,000. We managed to get the climbing frame and various garden equipment with this."