Education Minister officially opens new £5.4m facility in Mid & East Antrim

(L-R): Chief Executive of the Education Authority, Richard Pengelly, Principal of Islandmagee Primary School, Arlene Cambridge, Education Minister, Paul Givan, Islandmagee Primary School Chair of the Board of Governors, William Kane, Chair of the Board of the Education Authority, Mervyn Storey and Islandmagee Primary School pupils, Sara-Jayne and George.

Education Minister Paul Givan has officially opened the newly completed, state-of-the-art school building at Islandmagee Primary School, marking a significant milestone in the school’s history and the local education estate.

The new facility, which consolidates the school onto a single modern site, was constructed with a total capital investment of £5.4 million. The five-classroom building is not only energy-efficient and purpose-built, but is also designed to serve generations of pupils and staff in the Islandmagee community.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister Givan described the occasion as “a truly landmark day” for the school.

“It was great to celebrate the opening of the new facility at Islandmagee Primary School,” he said. “The total capital investment of over £5.4 million will help to improve the school experience for generations to come.

“There has been considerable work to get to this stage and I would like to commend all of the team involved in the design and construction of this state-of-the-art facility which will have many benefits for the school community of Islandmagee.

“I wish the staff and school management every success for the future and look forward to revisiting the school in future to see pupils thriving and achieving in this new facility.”

The project brings to fruition years of planning and construction, beginning with the appointment of McAdam Design as the Integrated Consultant Team in August 2019. Martin & Hamilton Construction Ltd was appointed as the main contractor in February 2023, with building work commencing in March 2023.

The completed structure was handed over to the school on 30 August 2024, in time for the new academic year.

Education Authority (EA) Chairperson Mervyn Storey also spoke at the event, praising the significance of the development:

“This is a momentous occasion for all those involved in the school. Today is the culmination and the realisation of a project which I know is worthy of a great deal of praise.

“Part of the EA’s vision for education is to give our children and young people the best start in life, to be the best that they can be, in a fit for purpose, modern schools estate, capable of meeting the ever-changing learning needs of our children and young people. I believe we have achieved that vision today as we look around this impressive school.”

Principal Arlene Cambridge expressed pride and gratitude on behalf of the entire school community.

“This is a day of celebration for the pupils and staff of Islandmagee Primary School,” she said. “We are immensely proud of our beautiful new school build, and we are grateful to each and every one of you that embraced this challenge with such a willing heart.

“Islandmagee Primary School will serve this community for many years to come and to all who helped make this happen, we are truly grateful.

“I would like to thank the staff, pupils, parents and the Board of Governors for their perseverance and patience over the last number of years as the project team has taken the work through the various stages to where we are now – a fantastic, new, state-of-the-art building that will support the already high standard of teaching and learning at our school.”

The new building, located on the Low Road in Islandmagee, stands as a symbol of the area’s commitment to high-quality education in modern learning environments. The facility aims to not only meet current educational needs but also support the wider community well into the future.