Ford welcomes new integrated school

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 27th Jan 2003

South Antrim Assembly member David Ford attended the first open night of the new Round Tower Integrated Primary School last Tuesday and expressed his strong support for the school.

Mr Ford said: "I was very pleased to be asked to present prizes to the pupils who had thought of the name Round Tower. It was a particular pleasure to be introduced by the Principal, Mr Philip Scott, as a founder Governor of Springfarm PS in 1978."

"From the start, Springfarm was always a school in which children from different backgrounds mixed and in which parents from across the community worked together."

"Transformation to integrated status is the logical development of all this hard work over the years. Clearly there's a growing demand for integrated schools with ones like Slemish College amongst the most popular in Northern Ireland."

"I am delighted to see the good work being done in Springfarm School and I look forward to hearing about its future successes. I wish the staff and the pupils all the best as Round Tower Integrated PS."

Note to editors: I understand a photographer from your paper was present at the school, and thought this might be appropriate to go beside it in a story.

ENDS.