Galliagh Nursery School and Lisnagelvin Nursery School held a special end-of-year celebration event in Ebrington Square, Derry to mark the Shared Education partnership they have formed through PEACEPLUS ASPIRE.

While the settings have spent the year taking part in a range of shared learning experiences, the focus of this event was to celebrate the friendships, connections and shared memories created by the children throughout the project.

At 11:30 the children and setting practitioners, along with the Mayor of Derry and Strabane Ruairí McHugh gathered on the Peace Bridge, where a photographer and drone captured a photo which aimed to symbolise connection and shared learning.

The celebration continued with a celebratory event in Ebrington Square, featuring music and dance, and a cake kindly made by a local bakery. The event provides an opportunity for children and families from both settings to come together in a shared space, reflecting the spirit of inclusion, community and cooperation at the heart of the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE project.

Caroline McDonnell, Principal of Lisnagelvin Nursery School said: “Being part of the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Shared Education project has been a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved. The children, staff and parent volunteers connected effortlessly, building friendships through shared play, learning and time spent together. The project highlighted just how powerful early years education can be in bringing people together from across the city.”

Julie McSorley, Acting Principal of Galliagh Nursery School said: “Being involved in PEACEPLUS ASPIRE has provided children, staff and parents from different backgrounds the opportunity to come together, engage and form a shared sense of belonging. We hope that these positive experiences of diversity and collaboration in the early years will help build a more connected and empathetic community over time. Working in partnership with staff from Lisnagelvin Nursery school has been invaluable in sharing best practice and building a strong professional learning community within the Early Years Sector.”

Kevin Quinn, Head of Funded Projects at Early Years said: “We are incredibly proud to see this partnership between Galliagh Nursery School and Lisnagelvin Nursery School flourish through PEACEPLUS ASPIRE. The impact on children, families and the wider community is evident in the friendships formed, the confidence gained and the strong sense of connection built throughout the year. It has been a pleasure to support settings working so positively together and to see this celebration event bring everyone together in such a meaningful way.

“This partnership is a powerful example of how shared education in the early years can create lasting benefits for children and communities alike.”

PEACEPLUS ASPIRE (Advancing Shared Partnerships through Inclusive Relationships in Education) is led by the Education Authority (EA), alongside, Early Years - the organisation for young children, National Childhood Network (NCN), Léargas, and the Fermanagh Trust.

The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Through collaboration between and within schools and pre-school settings PEACEPLUS ASPIRE hopes to promote good relations and empower children and young people to contribute to a more cohesive, peaceful and prosperous society.