A Newtownabbey principal, whose school has “rotting window frames, mould and disturbed asbestos”, has called for changes to be made to the current buildings maintenance system.

Emma Quinn, head of Rathcoole Primary School, was highlighting the issues impacting on her school in the Derrycoole Way area of the estate following the publication of the Northern Ireland Audit Office’s ‘Managing the Schools' Estate’ report, which was published on Tuesday (November 12).

The report concluded that the schools’ estate is deteriorating and a new, more strategic, approach is required to make better use of the limited funding currently available.

Speaking to the Newtownabbey Times, Mrs Quinn explained: "Problems with the condition of our building have been ongoing for years. It’s an historic building and it’s been getting worse.

The principal of Rathcoole PS has voiced concerns about the condition of the building. (Pic: Rathcoole PS).

placeholder image — The principal of Rathcoole PS has voiced concerns about the condition of the building. (Pic: Rathcoole PS).

"It’s even silly things like replacing light bulbs. It’s cheaper to wait until a number of bulbs aren’t working rather than coming out to fix one.

“Whilst maintenance have been supportive of the work in Rathcoole, the windows continue to be a sore point. Some of our high windows are in a bad state, covered in mould and the frames are rotting. It’s cold at times and dear forbid if the glass fell out.

"If we knew that the windows were being replaced, even in a year or two, we could plan ahead and put up with it for the time being, but the lack of communication is hard.

"Two rooms are out of bounds due to asbestos being disturbed by unwanted behaviour. The one plumber in the north eastern area arrived last week to dismantle the sink, following safety concerns. The toilets are wholly unfit for purpose, with cracks, broken toilets and old drainage.

A number of window frames at Rathcoole PS are rotting. (Pic: Rathcoole PS).

“It’s the people who make the school, but education is almost like a business now. It shouldn’t be that way. We have an amazing staff and building supervisor, but the appearance of the building doesn’t quantify the good work that is going on inside the school.

"It feels like a sticking plaster is being put over it. The current approach to it all is not okay. We want our school to be a safe and welcoming place, where our pupils and staff feel happy.

King's Award for Voluntary Service: Monkstown group ‘absolutely thrilled’ to rec...

"The maintenance helpdesk is amazing, but the resourcing to help support the basic needs of schools is not there.

"We need a clear, transparent and easily accessible maintenance system that supports all schools. One that is fit for purpose, affordable and reliable. Sadly, that’s not what we currently have.”

Road safety issues outside the school have also been causing concerns for the principal and her staff.

She added: “We have been requesting important traffic management work, but this has been put on hold again, despite severe congestion and danger at drop-off and collection time.

"We don’t have a patrol person at the school, even though we’re on a busy bus route. Even the introduction of a temporary 20 mph limit at certain times of the day would be welcomed.

"We have over 50 staff ourselves, with many driving to school. The school wasn’t designed for this amount of traffic, plus then the volume of cars needed to bring children to school.

"Cllr Alison Bennington is chair of our board of governors, plus Cllr Robert Foster has been supportive and John Finucane MP has been in touch to offer assistance. Hopefully our concerns can be addressed, along with those of other schools in similar situations."

Education Minister Paul Givan MLA has welcomed the Northern Ireland Audit Office’s report on the schools’ estate, which currently includes 1,116 schools with an estimated capital value of £4billion.

Mr Givan said: "There has been historic under-investment in the schools’ estate. We are now facing a twin crisis of an ageing schools’ estate and requiring large numbers of additional specialist places for rapidly increasing numbers of children with Special Educational Needs.

"I welcome the report by the Audit Office which brings into sharp focus the maintenance backlog across the schools’ estate and the challenges faced in managing the estate effectively including funding availability and rising construction costs.

"Children across Northern Ireland have the right to be educated in schools which are comfortable and safe, are of good quality and are properly designed and resourced to support their learning. This will require a significant step change in the level of capital investment by the Northern Ireland Executive."

A Departmental spokesperson added: “The Department of Education will work over coming months to implement the recommendations of the report.

"The Department welcomes many of the findings in the NIAO report, which support the case the Minister has continued to make for the need for increased and sustained investment in the schools’ estate.

"The schools’ estate is in need of significantly increased and sustained funding to address the many years of underinvestment. Children across Northern Ireland have the right to be educated in schools which are comfortable and safe, are of good quality and are properly designed and resourced to support their learning. This will require a significant step change in the level of capital investment by the Executive.”

Responding to this newspaper, a spokesperson for the Education Authority (EA) said: “The Education Authority continues to address a backlog of maintenance issues across the Northern Ireland schools’ estate, including Rathcoole PS, at a time of sustained financial pressures within the wider public sector.

“Ensuring children and young people receive high quality education in order to be the best they can be, remains a critical priority for the EA.”