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Loughries Primary School, Newtownards
Penny Wars- children bring pennies to school and add to their House Team jar. 11/9/25- 26/9/25 | National Coding week. Monday 15th - Friday 19th September. | National Fitness Day - Indoor Athletics Thursday 18th September. All children to come to school wearing their P.E. uniform. | National Poetry Day. (2/10/25) | European Day of Languages – all children to dress up to represent an EU country. Thursday 25th September. | School Photographer. Monday 29th September.
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The History

🏫 Welcome to Loughries Integrated Primary School

Nestled in a beautiful rural setting just 3 miles from Newtownards and close to the shores of Strangford Lough, Loughries Integrated Primary School offers a warm, inclusive, and vibrant learning environment for children from Newtownards, Bangor, and the Ards Peninsula.

🌅 A School with Deep Roots

Established in 1842, Loughries is the oldest school in Newtownards, with a proud history of serving generations of families. Over the years, our facilities have been thoughtfully modernised and expanded to meet the needs of today’s learners.

We now enjoy:

  • Four spacious classrooms, each equipped with interactive whiteboards
  • A small hall used for Breakfast Club, School Meals, and Assemblies
  • A computer suite/staffroom and two offices
  • Two playgrounds and a large grass area for outdoor play
  • A polytunnel where children grow fruits and vegetables
  • An outdoor classroom and play resources

We also benefit from the generous support of our local community, using larger spaces at Ballyblack Presbyterian Church and Ards Evangelical Church for events such as our annual Fireworks Display, Nativity, KS2 Show, P7 Leavers Assembly, and PE.

🌈 Our Journey to Integration

In 2013, a parent-led campaign supported by the Board of Governors began the transformation of Loughries into an Integrated School. A ballot held in August 2013 showed overwhelming support, with 92.7% of parents voting in favour of the change.

Following a series of meetings and the formation of a Steering Committee, the school officially opened as an Integrated School on 30th September 2016. Special guests included Education Minister Mr Peter Weir and Olivia Nash MBE, a passionate advocate for Integrated Education.

Since then, we’ve celebrated our journey with:

  • Integration Month - mosaics in 2017, inspired by Rainbow Fish and Elmer, promoting messages of unity and uniqueness
  • Our 5th Anniversary as an Integrated School in September 2021

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A School for Everyone

Loughries is proud to offer wraparound care from 8:15am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday, supporting busy families with flexible childcare options.

We are staffed by a committed team including:

  • A Teaching Principal
  • 2 full-time and 5 part-time teaching staff
  • 10 support staff, including our Secretary, Building Supervisor, six classroom assistants, and two lunchtime supervisors

🎓 Supported and Growing

We gratefully acknowledge the support of:

  • The Department of Education through Business Case grants
  • The Integrated Education Fund (IEF)
  • NICIE for training and guidance

Loughries continues to be highly regarded as a provider of quality education for over 183 years. We are proud to be a school where children Learn, Integrate, Participate, and Succeed.