I can confirm that my Department has received an application from the school, referred to by the Deputy, for funding to facilitate its growth to a third stream, i.e. a 24 classroom school. My Department is currently liaising with the Patron of the school and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities when this process has been finalised.
The Deputy will however appreciate that my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing school numbers. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of new schools, together with extension projects, in areas where additional demographic need has been established, will be the main focus for capital investment in the coming years. The Five Year Construction Plan that I announced in March 2012 is focused on meeting those demographic needs and sets out the school projects that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan. My Department's assessment of any application for large scale capital funding will therefore take into account planned provision under the Five Year Plan and clear evidence of substantial pressure for pupils places in all schools serving the area.
