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Nursery to Share School Site Amid Safety Crisis
12 Dec
Summary
- Roof inspection found Nazareth House Primary unsafe, forcing closure.
- Pupils will temporarily share a site with St Anne's Primary School.
- Urgent repairs aim for return to own site by February 2026.
Nazareth House Primary School, a fixture since 1902, has temporarily closed its doors to students following the discovery of an unsafe roof during a recent inspection. The Londonderry school, serving over 200 pupils, ceased operations on December 3. Urgent remedial works are now planned to ensure the main building's roof is safe for occupancy.
Education Minister Paul Givan confirmed that from January 7, 2026, pupils and staff, including the nursery, will share facilities with St Anne's Primary School. This contingency measure is intended to be short-term, with the goal of enabling the Nazareth House community to return to their Bishop Street site by mid-February 2026.
Concerns regarding the building's structural integrity had reportedly been raised by school leadership for two decades. The Education Authority was alerted in 2017 about the need for a new roof. Minister Givan acknowledged the frustration, attributing the closure to years of under-investment in school infrastructure.
