DOWNPATRICK Nursery School has secured a runner-up spot in this year’s best kept school awards and been presented with its tenth Eco Schools Green Flag.
The Mount Crescent facility came second in the pre-primary school category in the South Eastern Education Board area in this year’s best kept awards competition sponsored by George Best Belfast City Airport.
The local nursery was one of 28 schools from across the Province represented at Victoria College last week for the Northern Ireland Amenity Council’s awards ceremony.
The nursery was shortlisted in the finals after impressing judges with its use of outdoor space to create an engaging and educational environment for pupils and encouraging parental participation in their eco-activities, giving a sense of purpose to all involved.
Amenity Council president, Doreen Muskett, said each year the standard of applications rises with schools across Northern Ireland wanting to make a difference to their community.
“Judges faced a difficult decision this year in choosing the winners,” she continued.
“Downpatrick Nursery School demonstrated outstanding leadership in their community, promoting outdoor activities that are going from strength to strength. The whole school got involved to make the environment a more enjoyable one for pupils, teachers and parents.”
Mrs Muskett described the annual awards as a “wonderful chance” for schools to demonstrate their commitment to the environment and sustainability, equip pupils with practical skills for the future and show Northern Ireland the tremendous work that happens behind the scenes every day.
The best kept school category has been running for 27 years after being introduced to the Best Kept Awards in 1991. The category has grown since its inception and now awards the top pre-primary, primary and post-primary schools in each region.
Stephen Patton, Belfast City Airport’s corporate responsibility and HR manager, congratulated Downpatrick Nursery and all the other winners and runners-up.
The Eco Schools Green Flag is almost part of the furniture at the Downpatrick nursery school which first won it in 1994.
Since then, the school has applied for and been awarded a new green flag at every opportunity, recently attaining its tenth flag — the only school in the Province to do so.
The nursery said it was proud to be an Eco School and was delighted to welcome back former principals Mrs Kelsie Erskine and Miss Dorothy Corkin to raise its tenth flag.
Both Kelsie and Dorothy played key roles in establishing the strong eco schools ethos within the school, with the recent flag raising attended by Ruth Van Ry from Eco Schools and Rebecca McGreevy from Newry Mourne and Down Council.
Parents and children also enjoyed the annual family fun day which coincided with the eco celebrations with everyone at the nursery determined to adhere to the eco code of making the world a better place to share.