Ms Amanda McNamee:

From a practitioner's point of view, schools must welcome all children, irrespective of background, learning ability or newcomer status as immigrants from other countries. The teaching vocation is about supporting those children to learn, be happy and have fun in their early years. In Lagan we have a number of children who have come through newcomer status in the country. We support their needs, as we would those of any other child, be they special needs or certain gifts or talents. It is our job to encourage children to pursue what they enjoy and become bettter at doing it.

Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan mentioned growth. As a leader in education, I hear politicians speak a great deal about equality and respect, but there may be a need for more talk about shared housing and education. In the wider sense, we are passionate about shared education as it is an important vehicle for children to meet one another. I had the opportunity to meet children coming into the education profession through a PGCE placement. I asked them if they had ever met somebody of a different religion or if they had friends from one and it still shocked me to find young men and women, not too far from Ms Copeland in age, who had never met somebody from the other major tradition in Northern Ireland. It was a shocking revelation. It is, therefore, in all our interests to do our best to enable any child who wishes to come to an integrated school to have his or her learning needs met.

I was asked recently to speak in front of St. Mary's and Stranmillis students who will be the teachers of the future. It is rewarding to have been invited to speak to them next Tuesday. It will be the second time I will have spoken to them on what the grounds are for integrated education and inclusive practice. It is happening. There is a joint module for trainee teachers at St. Mary's and Stranmillis which is encouraging and a first step in the right direction.