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Castle Gardens Primary School, Newtownards
Parent Survey 2026 Parent SurveyEvery year in May we run a parent survey that allows you to have your say in the running of our school This year's survey can be accessed via the following link which will be open until Friday of next week, the 22nd May @ noon. This is a really important process, and this year includes feedback on uniforms and homework. If you have a few minutes, it'd be greatly appreciated if you could complete this. [Open Image] | This week's newsletter is now onlin Good afternoon. This week's newsletter is now online.
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P7 Pupils Find Out New Schools

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15th May 2026

Last Saturday morning, at 6.05am for some, parents of P7 pupils logged onto the EA Portal or received emails detailing the school their child will be heading to for Year 8.

It's an incredibly anxious time, and this week is also an emotional roller coaster as the realisation sets in that friends are heading in different directions and the time at Castle Gardens is running out.

This year we had a fantastic outcome for our pupils. Of course some are not quite delighted and efforts will be ongoing over the coming weeks, but the engagement by parents with strategic applications ensured our highest number of 1st preference placements in over a decade.

  • 84% of the 49 pupils applying through this process obtained 1st preference placements
  • 94% of pupils obtained 2nd preference, including several with a strategic application to avail of a bus pass
  • Pupils are transferring to 10 different post-primary schools in Ards, Bangor, Belfast, Ballyhalbert and Carrowdore.