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Ballycastle Shared Education Campus
Ballycastle High School and Cross & Passion College on existing school properties.
The core concept gives each school its own identity within a shared environment, centred on a modern, adaptable main school building, a specialist SEN wing, and separate youth services and grounds-maintenance facilities— all nestled around cutting-edge sports infrastructure.
The landscape includes a 2G hockey pitch, 3G GAA field, multi-use games areas, floodlit synthetic pitches, and a spacious sports hall and pavilion available for both school use and wider community access evenings and weekends.
Construction kicked into gear in early May 2024, with phase one laying the groundwork for the hockey pitch, multi-use games area, and the main teaching block. A ceremonial sod-cutting on 21 June 2024 by Education Minister Paul Givan marked the formal start, with shared enthusiasm from principals, pupils and local civic leaders. Minister Givan emphasised the significance of modern, adaptable facilities capable of supporting both schools with a quality curriculum and inclusive teaching environments.
Heron Bros Ltd, appointed as Main Contractor, is delivering this ambitious project over a planned forty-month construction programme set for completion in late summer 2027, with the school building operational by May 2026 and the sports hall finished by August 2027. An additional £ 3.8 million contributed by the council has elevated sports provision to community standard, ensuring top-tier facilities enhance recreation and wellbeing well beyond the school day.
From the outset, this campus has symbolised more than bricks and mortar— it’ s a vessel for deepening shared education, nurturing cooperation among pupils and staff, and reinforcing cross-community relationships in north Antrim.
Principals Geraldine Duffy from Cross & Passion and Ian Williamson of Ballycastle High highlighted the project’ s
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