Construction of Mary Queen of Peace Primary School in Glenravel set for Autumn 2025

Northern Ireland’s Education Minister Paul Givan has confirmed that construction work on the long-anticipated new build for Mary Queen of Peace Primary School in Glenravel is scheduled to begin in September or October 2025.

The announcement comes a decade after initial plans for a new school were first proposed, bringing renewed optimism to the local community, staff, and pupils.

The news was delivered in a letter from Mr Givan to North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan, who had sought “an update on the progress of the new build for Mary Queen of Peace Primary School, Glenravel.”

In his written response, the Minister stated:

“The design of the new build project for Mary Queen of Peace Primary School has been completed and the Department’s technical advisors are currently reviewing pre-tender construction cost estimates.

“The procurement of a building contractor is in progress and it is estimated that construction of the new build school will commence on site in September/October 2025.”

The new school will be located in rural County Antrim and is the result of the amalgamation of two former primary schools—St Mary’s Primary School in Cargan and Glenravel Primary School in Martinstown.

A Milestone Moment for the Glenravel Community

The confirmation follows a broader announcement made by Minister Givan on 28 May 2024, when he revealed that an additional capital funding allocation would enable 15 school projects to proceed to the construction procurement phase. Mary Queen of Peace was among the schools named.

In November 2024, Mr Givan visited Mary Queen of Peace PS, where he met pupils and staff, toured the current school building, and walked the future site of the new development. He was received by principal Malachy Conlon, members of the school’s Project Board, and representatives of the newly elected School Council.

Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan welcomed the progress and underlined the importance of communication with the local community. He said:

“I sought progress from the Minister as this project has been a long time in development, and it is important that the local Glenravel population are kept up to date.

“The whole community of Glenravel will be relieved once they see construction work beginning. Once completed this will be a state-of-the-art new Primary school capable of educating the next generation of primary school pupils and will be a valuable resource for the local community.”

Innovative Design with Local Roots

Designed by Hamilton Architects, the new 1,975m² school will feature nine classrooms and accommodate up to 250 pupils.

The design pays homage to the rural vernacular of the region. Key architectural features include a barn-style multi-purpose hall that forms a central part of the landscape and pitched-roof classroom blocks reminiscent of traditional local housing.

The hall, complete with an adjacent full production kitchen, will serve as a formal dining space. The interior will also include three large resource areas, three multi-purpose rooms for staff, and a central glazed octagon designed to connect indoor learning environments with the outdoors.

Externally, the site will offer hard and soft play areas, an external storage facility for equipment, 29 parking spaces, and a designated junior school drop-off zone.

Additionally, a new footpath will be constructed to provide safe pedestrian access from the main road into Martinstown, enhancing the school’s integration with the surrounding community.

Looking Ahead

The September/October 2025 start date marks a significant step forward for a project that has been in planning for ten years. The Glenravel community can now look ahead with anticipation as the vision for a state-of-the-art primary school takes shape.