The new £21.5m Devenish College will not open next week as planned because it is not yet complete, The Impartial Reporter has learned.

Despite the “most valiant efforts” of its governors, principal and staff to ensure that students would start the new school year this September at the state-of-the-art new school building on the Tempo Road, Enniskillen, this will not be the case.

Instead, incoming Year 8 students will start their secondary school journey at the old school site at Algeo Drive on Monday, September 4, with the remaining students returning to the building that they had previously bid farewell to back in June, on Tuesday, September 5.

Principal Simon Mowbray said the governors and staff of Devenish College are “extremely disappointed” that they were not able to complete their move to the Tempo Road “on the dates agreed and stipulated by the contractor”.

 

Works continuing at the new Devenish College building and site.

Works continuing at the new Devenish College building and site.

 

“We are certain this disappointment is shared across the whole school community. Our governors, principal and staff have exuded an inordinate amount of time and effort, and did everything within our power, to ensure that this would happen for September 2023,” he said.

“The governors and staff can assure our parents that their children will have full access to their curriculum and examination specifications during the short period of time that we will remain in Algeo Drive.

“Since our staff returned from their summer break, they have worked incredibly hard to ensure that we are extremely well prepared to welcome our Year 8 students on Monday, September 4 and our remaining students on Tuesday, September 5.

“Whilst the delay is undoubtedly frustrating, it will not detract from our core purposes of learning, teaching, care and support,” Mr. Mowbray told this newspaper.

In a letter addressed to parents dated August 16, and seen by The Impartial Reporter, Mr. Mowbray said: “We are extremely disappointed to inform you that, despite the most valiant efforts of the Governors, our Principal, and staff, we are not going to be in a position to occupy our new school as planned, at the beginning of September.

 

Works continuing at the new Devenish College building and site.

Works continuing at the new Devenish College building and site.

 

“Whilst the school is extremely close to completion, the Project Board, comprising representatives from the Education Authority, the Department of Education, school governors and the Design Team, met on Tuesday, August 15 and confirmed that they could not accept possession of the school until the final decoration and presentation cleaning has been fully completed.

“The Governors and Principal understand that this will come as a huge disappointment to you, but you will see from the images below that we are just a few weeks away from taking possession of a phenomenal, new school building.

“Year 8 students will return to school on the Algeo Drive site at 9am on Monday, September 4, with the rest of the school returning on Tuesday, September 5. Further details will follow.”

The Impartial Reporter contacted the main contractor, Glasgiven Contracts Ltd., about the delay in the new school build’s completion, but had not received a response by the time of going to press.