New SEN school to open in Saintfield

New SEN school to open in Saintfield

6 September 2023

A NEW special education needs school in Saintfield could open at Halloween.

Work is to start to provide the new 27-pupil facility is continuing at the site of the former St Mary’s Primary at the Old Grand Jury Road which closed in August last year due to falling pupil numbers.

The new special education needs school will operate as a satellite base to the award-winning Oakwood Special School based in Belfast and is being provided by the Education Authority.

Earlier this year, the organisation confirmed news of the investment to Strangford MLA and former Stormont Education Minister Michelle McIlveen.

She has welcomed the investment, alongside Rowallane councillor Callum Bowsie. Both politicians recently visited the site of the new school.

Investment in special education needs provision comes after Ms McIlveen highlighted the need for increased places for children and is delighted that Saintfield has been confirmed as the site for the new school.

She said Education Authority officials have confirmed negotiations have recently concluded with the Trustees of the former St Mary’s Primary School building and that a lease is being finalised. 

“I understand that contractors have been appointed for the project and that further provision at the site will be considered as and when required,” Ms McIlveen remarked.

“Demand for specialised provision has grown in recent years and I am really pleased that buildings such as St Mary’s are being repurposed rather than being left to deteriorate.”

Ms McIlveen said it was “vitally important” that young people with a Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN) provision are educated in facilities that are fit for purpose.

Cllr Bowsie said demand for special needs provision in education has never been greater. 

“Through my role as a councillor and working in Michelle McIlveen’s office in recent years, I am aware of the difficulties many families have faced in finding adequate SEN provision for their child,” he said.

“I am very pleased to learn from the Education Authority that the former St Mary’s Primary School site is set to become a satellite school to the award-winning Oakwood Special School in Malone.”

Cllr Bowsie said it is anticipated that the completion date for the new school is late October.

The former St Mary’s Primary School closed after pupil numbers ped to 17, with no pupils admitted to P1 over the preceding five academic years.

The school was first established in 1873 and in 1964 relocated to the Old Grand Jury Road, but pupil numbers fell from 49 in 2017/18 to just 17 for 2021/22.

The approved closure proposal outlined that pupil numbers were “significantly below” the Department of Education’s minimum enrolment of 105 pupils for a sustainable rural primary school. It was 

also revealed that the school experienced financial difficulty in recent years.

Given that three alternative Catholic-maintained primary schools are located within a five mile radius of St Mary’s, education officials said they did not anticipate any significant travel costs for pupils.