By Amy Pollock
LAST week saw the end of an era for Brooklands Primary School in Dundonald, as its much-loved principal retired after 38 years of steadfast dedication.
Known to the local community as ‘Mr Brooklands’, Jeremy Armstrong (62), whose career journey ‘started and finished’ at the school, has been described as a ‘key driving force’ behind its development throughout the decades.
Mr Armstrong told of how he happily accepted the role as class teacher in 1987, taking on extra responsibilities as literary coordinator before becoming vice principal in 2011, acting principal in 2018, and being appointed principal in 2020.
In his nearly 40 years at the school, Mr Armstrong said he has a ‘long list’ of highlights that he’ll ‘never forget’.
From coaching the football team and winning the Northern Ireland Primary School Cup in 2002 to spearheading the school’s involvement in the Children’s Programme of Northern Ireland (CPNI), a cross-community initiative that brought 120 children to America during The Troubles to spend summers with host families, Mr Armstrong said these are just a handful of his favourite memories.
Speaking of his passion for the CPNI, Mr Armstrong said: “The programme started back in the ’70s and ran for 40 years, ending in 2012.
“I was a board member of the programme, and I spent five summers out in Minnesota with pupils from Brooklands, and it was just a fantastic opportunity and experience for them to literally become part of an American family for five weeks in the summer.
“Those were very happy memories and I see a lot of those children as parents now in Brooklands, and they would still talk to me about things that they remember from that programme,” he said.
Among other achievements that he is most proud of, Mr Armstrong said opening a social communication unit (SCU) at the school has been an ‘immense benefit to everyone involved’.
“We opened our social communication unit with one class initially in 2020, which, from September, is going up to three classes.
“That has been an amazing success. There’s just eight pupils in each class, and what we have seen has been life changing, from the success of those children to the difference it has made to their parents in terms of their family life. All the children who’ve gone through the unit have done so well,” he said.
A more recent milestone includes the introduction of the school’s beloved four-legged assistant, affectionately known as Peanut.
“We introduced Peanut, our therapy dog, 18 months ago now. He’s had a huge impact on the school, welcoming the children as they’re coming in each morning and providing one-to-one time if children are feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
“I can’t even remember what school was like without Peanut.”
Although Peanut lives with Mr Armstrong’s soon-to-be successor, vice principal Fiona Smart, the pair are still going to stick to a tradition that started when Peanut joined the school in early 2024.
“Peanut lives with Mrs Smart, but whenever Mrs Smart goes on holiday, he comes to stay with me, and we’re going to continue that arrangement throughout my retirement,” he said.
In Mr Armstrong’s final week, both the school and local community came together to surprise him with a farewell football match at Ballybeen Sports Hub, complete with Brooklands players from over the last four decades.
“I just couldn’t believe the hundreds of people that were there,” he said.
“There was a lovely presentation from the Ballybeen Improvement Group and parents. It was just lovely to spend time mingling with parents from many years ago and talking to the boys who I’d played football with over the years. So I’ll never forget that.”
Closing out his final week in the school, Mr Armstrong said: “I think one of the main things I’ll take away from Brooklands is the community. I’ll leave here with very fond memories of not just Brooklands Primary School, but also the wider community.
“I hope not to be a stranger.”
As Brooklands gets ready to move into its next chapter, current vice principal Fiona Smart said she is ‘very excited’ for her new promotion to principal.
“Being at the school for so many years, I know what our strengths are, I know what our areas are that we want to develop, so it’s all just really clear.
“I know for the new things that I haven’t done so much of yet, [Mr Armstrong] will be on the other end of the line when I need him, which gives me a sense of security.
“With us working so closely for 20 years, I know he’ll continue to be there as a support,” she said.
