A DISUSED former primary school in Donaghadee could become a second campus for the Killard special school.
St Anne’s Primary School closed in October 2023 despite a concerted campaign of opposition by local parents and the community.
Since then the building has been closed as the Education Authority decides what to do with the building.
Education Minister Paul Givan has now revealed the building is being assessed as a possible dual campus complex for the nearby Killard special school which currently caters for over 200 young people and 100 staff.
Pupils are aged between three and 19 and each has a statement of special educational needs and a complex range of additional learning needs.
News of the possible use of the former St Anne’s site was contained in an answer from Mr Givan to North Down MLA Alan Chambers. The Ulster Unionist had asked Mr Givan to give a breakdown of ongoing plans for educational provision in the North Down area.
On major works, Mr Givan said there are three schools on the capital works programme, including Bangor Central Integrated Primary School where a contractor is being sought.
Construction is underway for a new school for Crawfordsburn Primary School and at Priory College, the new build school project is in the technical design and pre-tender stage.
Mr Givan also revealed that a dual campus is also being considered for Clifton Special School, where a project to provide additional classroom and ancillary accommodation is at the design stage.
A number of other projects are at various stages of development in North Down. At St Columbanus College a project to provide a new teaching block for science, PE, careers and sixth form is in the design stage.
At Sullivan Upper a project to provide additional classrooms and a staffroom is also in the design stage.
At Glencraig Integrated Primary School a business case is in development for this project, to extend and refurbish existing classrooms and provide additional resource spaces.
A business case is in development for Kilcooley Primary School to extend and/or refurbish existing accommodation.
Mr Chambers said he is glad to hear about current and future prospects for maintaining such a wide selection of schools from across the constituency. “Our teachers and support staff work incredibly hard to educate the next generation, so any improvements to their facilities that allow this to be taken even further is of course welcomed,” he said.
“I will continue to lobby the Minister and his Department so that schools in North Down will be maintained to a level that reflects the work being put in by the pupils and staff who study and work in them.”
