Long-serving parent proposes return to pre-Covid arrangements to ease ongoing issues at St Conor's PS

ONGOING traffic congestion and access problems around St Conor’s Primary School and Nursery Unit on Brookmount Road in Culmore, Omagh have once again come under the spotlight, following a new proposal put forward by one of the school’s longest-serving parents.

Catherine Norris, who has had children attending St Conor’s for more than 22 years, shared a detailed letter on the Lammy Community 2022 Facebook page, outlining what she believes is a simple and proven solution to the daily difficulties faced by parents and residents.

In her post, Ms Norris suggested reinstating pre-Covid arrangements that allowed pupils to enter the school’s assembly hall from 8.30am, supervised by classroom assistants, ahead of the formal start of the school day. She said the system operated successfully throughout her time as a parent until the pandemic brought changes to school access.

“This can be simply solved by St Conor’s having classroom assistants keeping pupils in the assembly hall for 30 minutes until the start of the school day,” she wrote. “Open the school gates at 8.30am and look after the kids before school like it used to be.”

Ms Norris, who has had four children attend the school, said parents would be willing to pay to cover the cost of classroom assistants and breakfast provision, as was previously the case. She added that staggered dismissal times at the end of the school day could also help reduce pressure on surrounding streets, particularly for residents and pupils reliant on bus services.

Her post was described by the Lammy Community 2022 Facebook page as “an honest post from a responsible parent”. The group said the proposals raised by Ms Norris mirror those repeatedly put forward by residents at meetings over recent years.

“These are proposals that the residents have raised now at every meeting,” the group said. “We also suggested parking on one side of the road, not blocking footpaths or drop kerbs, and for DfI to move the traffic island. Nothing has been done. Residents are suffering this every day.”

The group also highlighted growing tensions in the area, stating that while criticism could be tolerated, incidents of aggravated verbal abuse towards residents would now be reported to the PSNI.

In response to the ongoing concerns, the Board of Governors of St Conor’s Primary School said it is fully aware of the issues surrounding traffic and parking in the vicinity of the school and the impact on local residents, parents and pupils.

In a statement, the Board said it is “actively exploring all reasonable options” and continues to engage with relevant statutory bodies to identify a sustainable, long-term solution.

A spokesperson for St Conor’s Primary School and Nursery Unit added that the school remains committed to working collaboratively with parents, residents and external agencies to address the concerns, while maintaining a safe, positive and focused learning environment for all pupils.

Despite these assurances, parents and residents continue to call for immediate action, with many supporting the reinstatement of earlier school access arrangements as a practical step that could ease daily pressures in the area.