Limavady's new £11m shared school campus officially opened by Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly

Education Minister Paul Givan accompanied the ministers on Wednesday to view the newly completed campus which brings together St Mary’s and Limavady High School sites with a range of new shared facilities.

These include a shared 6th Form and careers, drama and media facilities on the St Mary’s site and shared STEM facilities (science, technology, engineering and maths) on the Limavady High School site.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “I truly believe that our children and young people deserve every opportunity to be the best they can be. Investing in our schools is vital to ensuring that our young people are able to reach their full potential.

“I was very impressed by the new facilities in Limavady High and St Mary’s and am aware of the long history of collaboration between the two schools. The importance of providing spaces where our young people can be educated and learn together should be a central part of all our children’s educational experience.”

“Facilities such as this fantastic Shared Education Campus, deliver not just educational benefits to our children and young people, but promote good relations and respect for identity and diversity and will allow pupils to foster even closer relationships moving forward.”

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “The impressive new facilities at this Shared Education Campus provide an excellent learning environment and provide a space where children and young people, teachers, and practitioners from both schools can develop long lasting relationships and friendships.

“As well as supporting the development of our children and young people, education campuses like this also help to improve relations that reach much deeper and wider into our communities.

“While both Limavady High and St Mary’s retain their individual ethos and identity, the shared campus is a physical demonstration of strong, supportive, and interdependent connections between schools and other educational settings which is an important part of our Together Building a United Community (T:BUC) Strategy.”

Speaking at the event the Education Minister Paul Givan added: “This is a hugely significant milestone for the St. Mary’s and Limavady High Schools and more widely as this is the first Shared Education Campus to open in Northern Ireland. These fantastic new facilities will provide much needed education benefits for pupils, staff, teachers, parents and for the wider community.”

“Schools are very much the hub of any community. This investment will have a major impact not only on the school communities, but also on the wider local community within Limavady and beyond, promoting good relations and creating many positive outcomes."

The Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC) and Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) congratulated Limavady High School and St. Mary’s High School on the official opening of the first Shared Education Campus.

Eve Bremner, Chief Executive, CCMS said: “The schools have a long history of sharing, and I commend them for driving this project forward. The new campus will enable pupils of all backgrounds and beliefs to come together and achieve their full potential and is a reflection of the schools’ commitment to inclusion, innovation and mutual respect.”

“CCMS is proud to be a key stakeholder in this project. We believe strongly in promoting inclusion and diversity within our schools, as well as seeking out opportunities to learn together. I thank everyone involved for their hard work and look forwarding to seeing the contribution LSEC will make to building a shared society.”

Mark Baker Chief Executive, CSSC added: “As we recognise the achievements of Limavady High School and St. Mary’s High School and the difference shared education has made for generations of children and young people as well as the local Limavady community, it reinforces the need for a vision and strategy for education that includes everyone working together and all voices being listened to."

“Shared education provides the opportunity for pupils from different backgrounds to come together, forge new friendships, experiences and access to a broader range of learning opportunities. CSSC supports our children and young people being educated together and believes that shared education is critical in our changing society.”