£2m funding boost ushers in new era at Inst

The governors of Coleraine Academical Institution (CAI) are delighted to have received confirmation that the business case stage of the School Enhancement Programme (SEP,) announced by the Minister of Education last October, has been passed and that the school is set to benefit from a £2m capital investment.

The next stage will see the project move to design stage and the appointment of a professional design team.

The money will be invested in a number of important refurbishment projects throughout the school that will further enhance the quality of educational provision for current and future pupils. The new funding will add significantly to the ongoing development of the school estate which has most recently included investment in a new riverside pavilion, considerable additional ICT provision, interactive whiteboards, refurbishment of classrooms, improved provision for the Sixth Form pupils and the refurbishment of the Templeton Auditorium.

Speaking about the news, Archie Linnegan, Chairman of the Board of Governors said:

“For a number of years , the Governors of Coleraine Inst have been developing a vision for the future of post-primary provision in Coleraine and we are pleased that these plans are now progressing with the start of a consultation process by the NEELB about the proposals.

“These proposals, which have been the subject of discussions with various stakeholders for many years, include at its centre the development of a co-educational Voluntary Grammar School on the CAI site following the amalgamation of Coleraine Academical Institution and Coleraine High School. It would also see the creation of a Triangle of Learning in the Castlerock Road Area where this new school would work alongside neighbouring schools, including Coleraine College and Loreto College to deliver the Entitlement Framework and provide suitable and sustainable educational pathways for all post-primary pupils in the region.

“Originally it was our hope that a new build school could be secured on the CAI site and that remains a longer term goal. In the short to medium term however, we are delighted that our application to the School Enhancement Programme is now progressing to the design stage and view it as a vote of confidence by the Department of Education in the role that CAI plays in the future of educational provision in Coleraine.

“As well as taking this investment project forward in the months ahead, we will continue to work with our education partners to realise our wider vision for post primary education in the Coleraine area and to deliver the best education for all our young people.”

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