EA unmoved by Groarty/Na Daróige appeals

The Director of Education at the Education Authority (EA), John Collings, has indicated the body has reviewed its decision not to endorse a joint Groarty Integrated Primary School and Gaelscoil Na Daróige shared campus application, and that its stance remains unchanged.

Mr. Collings has written to Derry City and Strabane District Council to confirm that the EA has looked at the refusal decision again.

The EA director was responding after the Sinn Féin Councillor Eric McGinley secured council support for a missive to the schools authority urging it to reverse its decision not to support the shared campus application.

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Mr. Collins has advised that the EA remains unmoved by appeals on behalf of the Ballymagroarty schools and that enrolment numbers at both schools was a factor in the refusal.

He wrote: “The schools concerned were informed prior to application that sustainability may be an issue for the Education Authority (as the Managing/Planning Authority of Groarty IPS) given that both schools are below the minimum threshold of 140 pupils for an urban setting.”

Mr. Collins went on to state that the proposal didn’t meet the six criteria in the Department of Education (DE) ‘Schools for the Future: A Policy for Sustainable Schools (SSP)’, document.

He also claimed the decision not to endorse the application was in line with DE’s Shared Education Campus Programme.

He advised that while the decision of the EA remained unchanged final authority rested with the department.