£2.3m investment in the pipeline for Ceara School

Pacemaker Press 4/11/10 Ceara School in Lurgan , a special school for children with severe learning disabilities', Where a 8 year old child attended , who was diagnosed with swine flu just over a week ago has died,Twenty people from Northern Ireland died in last year's swine flu outbreak, including a number of children with severe learning difficulties Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

' — Pacemaker Press 4/11/10 Ceara School in Lurgan , a special school for children with severe learning disabilities', Where a 8 year old child attended , who was diagnosed with swine flu just over a week ago has died,Twenty people from Northern Ireland died in last year's swine flu outbreak, including a number of children with severe learning difficulties Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker '

It will mean another eight classrooms in the 138-pupil which has grown considerably since it moved from Lough Road in Lurgan to Sloan Street in 2002.

Ceara Principal Dr Peter Cunningham said: “We had 47 pupils at that stage, but the move has been a great success, and the numbers have virtually trebled.

“There is no specified catchment area in special education and we draw pupils from an area stretching from Lurgan to Armagh, Middletown to Portadown, and Craigavon to Banbridge.”

“There are 13 mobile classrooms in the grounds of the school and that number will be reduced to seven when the work is completed. There are 21 teachers and 50 ancillary workers at Ceara.

“Work will start soon on the extension, with the Southern Education and Library having prepared a sound  business case for the extension.

“It is hoped the new accommodation will be completed next year.”