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Nazareth House pupils will move to different school in New Year

BBC Shows a school building with the gates and the words Nazareth House Primary School on them and a poster saying the school gates are 'smoke free'.BBC
More than 200 pupils at Nazareth House primary school remain at home

The Education Minister Paul Givan has set out plans to allow pupils of Nazareth House Primary School to return to face-to-face learning in January 2026.

The Londonderry school closed on 3 December after an inspection of the roof found that it was unsafe.

On Friday, Givan confirmed that following intensive work with the school leadership, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the Education Authority (EA), a contingency plan has been agreed.

From 7 January 2026, pupils and staff of Nazareth House Primary School, including the nursery, will share a site with St Anne's Primary School.

The temporary arrangements will remain in place while "urgent remedial works are carried out to make the roof of the main school building safe", Givan said.

The aim is to have the Nazareth House school community return to learning on their own site by half-term break in February 2026.

PA Media Paul Givan. He has short grey-ish hair, wearing a navy blazer, white shirt and navy tie with white polka dots. A blue curtain is behind him with two female pupils are blurred behind him.PA Media

The school has been operating on the Bishop Street site since 1902.

More than half of its 203 student body come from the Bogside, Bishop Street and Brandywell areas of Derry.

Róisín Blackery, principal of Nazareth House Primary School, said they had continually raised concerns about the structural safety of the 122-year-old building over the last 20 years.

She said the school submitted a business case for a new roof to the Education Authority (EA) in 2017, but it was "not actioned".

Givan said he shared the "understandable frustrations of the school's principal, Róisín Blackery and the wider school community".

"Years of under-investment in our ageing school estate have left us facing difficult decisions and in this case, the only option was to temporarily close the school."

Shows a woman with fair hair and earrings wearing a yellow top and grey hooded jacket standing in front of blue school gates
Principal Róisín Blackery says they have been raising concerns about the structure of the building for 20 years or more

Confirming that planning for longer-term repairs is already underway, the minister said: "In parallel with the temporary contingency arrangements and the remedial works, my department has commenced planning for the more extensive roofing works, which will be prioritised for delivery.

"The experience of the Nazareth House school community brings into sharp focus the critical and long-standing issues of school infrastructure and funding."