Primary schools facing closure

Lisnamurrican Primary School will close its doors

Three Northern Ireland primary schools are to close due to falling pupil numbers, the government has announced.

All Saints School in Ballela, County Down, St Mary's PS in Aghadowey and Lisnamurrican School in Broughshane, County Antrim, will shut their doors.

Education Minister Maria Eagle said keeping the schools open was not in the best interests of pupils.

A transfer to other schools would give them increased educational opportunities, she said.

However, Sandra Adams, the mother of a seven-year-old pupil at Lisnamurrican Primary School said parents felt "shocked and disappointed" by the news that the school would not be opening in September.

"We are all very concerned as it is only 11 school days to the end of term and getting this news is quite a shock," Mrs Adams said.

"We are all left to try and find new school places for our children.

"The department or the education board really just leave us to it now and, of course, there will be teachers out of work."

Mrs Adams said she had to try and find another school for her child within the area.

She argued that numbers at Lisnamurrican had actually risen, despite the threat of closure.

"We are in an area where there would be growth, we think if there had been no threat of closure, we would have reached a very sustainable area," she said.

"It takes the heart out of the community and it splits up what was a very tight community," she said.