School History

Oakwood Integrated Primary School opened as the result of the hard work and commitment of a small group of dedicated parents, who felt that the kind of schooling they wished for their children, did not exist in the area.

Oakwood IPS opened its doors in 1996 with just 34 children.

Today we have a beautiful purpose-built primary school and a brand new nursery building with 203 children in our primary and 26 children in our nursery. We will be offering FULL-TIME NURSERY PLACES (8.45am-1.15pm) from September 2026.

Our Vision:

Learning, working and playing together for a better tomorrow,'

is at the heart of everything we do at Oakwood.

The Education Training Inspectorate (ETI) in our ETI Inspection Report, November 2024 recognised that:

The vision, ‘Learning, working and playing together for a better tomorrow’ agreed by the founders almost 30 years ago is regularly revisited, and continues to drive all aspects of the daily life and work of the inclusive community in Oakwood Integrated Primary School and Nursery Unit.

Oakwood is a special kind of place and its inclusive nature was recognised when Oakwood became the first primary school (and therefore also the first integrated primary school) in Northern Ireland to achieve the Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM).

Oakwood IPS was the first school in Northern Ireland to achieve IQM Flagship status and then maintained its Flagship status and became a Flagship 2 school. 

At Oakwood Integrated Primary School, it is important that everyone feels they can and indeed does achieve their full potential.  The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) recognised the outstanding quality of teaching and learning and the outstanding pastoral provision at Oakwood.

Oakwood IPS is a hub school for Teaching and Learning Schools NI (TLS) and is one of four schools recognised as a Designated OLEVI Centre (DOC) for Northern Ireland.

Aims:

Oakwood Integrated Primary School's inclusive, child-centred approach supports achievement and positive lifelong attitudes to learning by working with children to help them to:

• Achieve high standards in all areas of the curriculum.
• Become confident, self motivated learners.
• Be able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Develop essential life skills.
• Have high self esteem while understanding and displaying mutual respect.
• Be equally aware of rights and responsibilities.
• Become highly skilled users of ICT.
• Be aware of and nurture their spiritual dimension.
• Seek to adopt a healthy lifestyle.