Further Six Projects In Shared Education Programme

A further six projects involving over 20 schools have signed up to the second call in the Shared Education Campuses Programme.

The Shared Education Campuses Programme was launched in January 2014 by Minister for Education John O'Dowd. Under the Programme the Department is aiming to invest in projects involving the need for new shared facilities.

Three projects were successful in the first call to progress to business case stage. A second call for expressions of interest opened on 1 October 2014 with a deadline of 30 January 2015.

"Shared education has the potential to deliver real educational benefits, to ensure best use of resources and to further community cohesion," Minister O'Dowd said.

"This Programme provides schools with the opportunity to build on existing sharing arrangements and access funding to help improve or provide shared facilities. I thank everyone involved in submitting their applications, which include four applications from the previous call.

"The proposals will undergo feasibility studies and economic appraisals with funding subject to agreement on access to required capital funding. I hope to announce the successful projects in June 2015."

The expressions of interest received are as follows:

• Marmount Shared Sports Facility (St Malachy’s College; Belfast Royal Academy; Belfast Model School for Girls; Carr’s Glen Primary School; Our Lady’s Girls’ Primary School and other local schools in the North Belfast Area Learning Community)

• IQ Centre North Belfast (Belfast Boys’ Model School; Belfast Model School for Girls; Belfast Royal Academy; Cedar Lodge School; Dominican College; Edmund Rice College; Hazelwood Integrated College; Little Flower Girls’ School; Mercy College; St Malachy’s College; St Patrick’s College)

• Brookeborough Shared Education Campus (Brookeborough Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School, Brookeborough)

• Digital Derry (St Mary’s College; Foyle College; Lisneal College; St Cecilia’s College; St Columb’s College; St Joseph’s Boys’ School and Ardnashee School and College)

• Duneane and Moneynick Partners in Learning (Duneane Primary School and Moneynick Primary School)

• Cookstown SEED Centre (Cookstown Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School supported by Phoenix Integrated Primary School)Six more projects proposed under the Shared Education Campuses Programme.

(IT/MH)