Prime Highlights:
- Pupils from Cross and Passion College and Ballycastle High School will move into the new £70 million shared campus next September.
- The campus will offer modern classrooms, sports facilities, and community access, strengthening education and local engagement.
Key Facts:
- Construction of the main school building is due to finish by summer 2026, with remaining works, including sports pitches and youth facilities, completing by 2027.
- Around 1,200 pupils will benefit from the purpose-built shared education campus, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.
Background:
Pupils in Co Antrim are on course to begin the next academic year in a state-of-the-art shared education campus, following confirmation from Education Minister Paul Givan that construction is progressing well. The £70 million development in Ballycastle is expected to welcome around 1,200 pupils from next September, marking a major milestone for shared education in Northern Ireland.
The purpose-built campus will bring together Cross and Passion College and Ballycastle High School, formalising a partnership that has steadily grown over several decades. Once completed, the site will become Northern Ireland’s first fully purpose-built shared education campus, designed to support collaboration while maintaining each school’s individual identity.
Mr Givan said the project is making “excellent progress” and confirmed that the main school building is scheduled for completion next summer. This will allow pupils from both schools to move into the new facility at the start of the 2026 academic year. Additional works, including sports and community facilities, are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
The project has a long history, with an initial inquiry by Stormont’s Education Committee taking place in 2015. Funding was secured the following year through the Government’s Fresh Start Programme. According to the minister, the investment reflects both schools’ strong ties to the local community and the success of shared arrangements already in place.
In addition to modern classrooms and learning spaces, the campus will include a sports building, sports pavilion, youth service facilities and extensive outdoor amenities. These will feature a 2G hockey pitch, a 3G GAA pitch, a soccer pitch and multi-use games areas. Enhanced sports facilities for community use have been made possible through an additional £4 million investment from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
Members of the public will be able to access the sports facilities on weekday evenings from 5.30pm through the council, ensuring the campus benefits the wider community as well as pupils.
Mr Givan was responding to a question from Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland and said he is confident the project will deliver long-term educational and social benefits. He also pointed to similar progress at the Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh, highlighting the Executive’s continued commitment to shared education across Northern Ireland.
