Assembly Hall Unsafe for Use at Rosetta Primary School
Some pupils at Rosetta Primary School in Belfast may "never set foot" in their school assembly hall due to safety concerns, according to school leaders.
The school's governors have expressed "serious concerns" about the condition of the building, specifically highlighting that the roof of the assembly hall is currently supported by steel props, rendering it unsafe for both pupils and staff.
The Education Authority (EA) has stated that the roof repair project is being "prioritised and we are working to deliver it as quickly as possible." The Department of Education (DE) has also been contacted for comment by NI.
In correspondence addressed to Education Minister Paul Givan and the EA, the governors noted that the issue was first identified nine years ago.
'Deadlines have been repeatedly missed'
The governors' letter detailed ongoing frustrations despite "extensive engagement" with the EA, including site visits and "repeated assurances." They stated that Rosetta Primary School still lacks a "clear or comprehensive plan outlining how and when these issues will be resolved."
"Deadlines for responses have been repeatedly missed, communications have been inconsistent, and essential reports have been subject to delay after delay," the letter said.
"The school leadership has persistently sought answers, escalated concerns appropriately, and cooperated fully with every request made.
However, the lack of decisive action, coupled with prolonged uncertainty, has placed unacceptable strain on the school's ability to operate safely and effectively."
'Unable to meet legal statutory requirements for PE'
Rosetta Primary School has an enrolment of nearly 300 pupils.
Principal Donal McGarrigle told NI that some pupils have never entered the school hall and "may never do so." He explained that the hall's unsafe condition prevents its use for physical education (PE) and school assemblies.
"Because we haven't had a school hall we're not able to meet those legal statutory requirements for PE," McGarrigle said.
"On top of that we're not able to have school gatherings together, collective gatherings to celebrate success and achievements through assemblies."
He further noted that the absence of a school hall limits children's social interaction, as packed lunches cannot be held there and parent events are also affected.
McGarrigle expressed frustration that safety concerns regarding the hall were first raised nine years ago.
"We were promised in January of this year that a report on the next steps for our school hall would be provided to us.
As a school leadership team, we've persistently sought answers and escalated concerns appropriately.
We've co-operated fully with every request that's been made.
But we feel there is a failure of strategic leadership and a lack of transparency in how decisions are being made, ultimately impacting our school and others as well."
'A real loss'
Charlene Hegarty, mother of two children attending Rosetta Primary School, commented on the impact of the assembly hall being out of use.
"The assembly hall has been out of use since they've been at this school," she said.
"Anyone who thinks about their school life would remember the school hall.
It's where you have your plays, it's where you have your assemblies, it's where you mix with your year groups and it's where you most importantly do your physical education.
My kids don't know what it's like to have that communal environment within school and that feels like a real loss because, based on the current timeline, they might never know."
'Hitting a brick wall'
Elaine Campbell, chair of the school's board of governors, stated that the education minister and political representatives have visited the school and acknowledged that the hall's current condition is "untenable."
"This has moved from a temporary problem to what looks like a permanent failure," Campbell said.
"A school is a community. It's more than bricks and mortar, but we have to have the bricks and mortar to provide a safe community for our students.
We know that we are not really meeting the full statutory requirements for physical education and assembly.
The staff are constantly trying to work around, the board of governors are constantly trying to make sure that we are looking out for safety, and we feel like we are hitting a proverbial brick wall at every stage."
Education Authority Response
The governors described the situation as "unsustainable" and requested a time-bound plan for remedial roof works.
An EA spokesperson acknowledged the frustrations experienced by Rosetta Primary School and other schools requiring repairs.
They highlighted the "funding pressures on education and the extensive school maintenance backlog."
The spokesperson added that due to the school's age and the "anticipated complexity of work," the EA has engaged an external architect-led design team to conduct a detailed condition survey. This will inform a costed works report outlining the full extent of repairs before a planning application is submitted and pre-procurement activities begin.
Related School Roof Issues in Northern Ireland
Recently, pupils at Nazareth House Primary School in Londonderry had to relocate to another school due to concerns about their school roof.
Principal Róisín Blackery stated that the school had raised concerns about the roof for several years.
In 2025, an assembly committee report revealed that many schools across Northern Ireland were "in a state of disrepair," estimating that up to £800 million would be required to address these issues.
