I am delighted to welcome you to Cregagh Primary School’s website; which I hope will provide you with a ‘window’ into school life at Cregagh Primary – a school that truly Puts Children First.

For those of you who may not know me as well as some others, my name is David Heggarty and I am excited to be working with the community, staff, families and children in my role as Principal.  I am intensely proud of our school and look forward to its bigger and brighter future.  Below you will find some additional information about me as a first step in developing what I hope to be a lasting professional relationship.

I was "born, bred and buttered" on the Cregagh Road and attended Cregagh Primary, Knockbreda and Wellington College schools.  Following Sixth Form, I went to Stranmillis College, where I trained to be a Primary school teacher.  My official teaching career began at Blackmountain Primary School (Springmartin, Belfast) where I taught for a year.  This was followed by three years at Avoniel Primary School.  In 1999, I moved to Cregagh Primary School; being appointed Vice-Principal in 2010 and was later appointed Principal .  I hold many qualifications in education including Bachelor and Master Degrees, the Northern Ireland Professional Qualification for Headship, and several other Level 7 educational management qualifications.

I am a parent myself: one boy and four girls!  Consequently, I empathise with those faced with the challenges of being a parent.  As a parent and teacher, I am always thinking about how my own children experience school.  I know that this is on all your minds as you send your children off to school each day, along with your own aspirations for and expectations of them.

As Principal, my intention is that my staff will continue to provide your children with the same positive school experience we would hope for our own children. From what I know, this will be easily attainable because we have such a highly-skilled, hardworking and dedicated staff.  Moreover, our school is governed by Governors who really care about the welfare and education of each and every child.  Our modern school building are state-of-the-art and we benefit from multiple indoor and outdoor learning and physical activity spaces - including a 4G Astro Pitch.

Cregagh Primary School is very special to me; it’s very much in my DNA!   I have spent almost 30 years here: first as a pupil, then as a teacher and now as Principal.  Without the strong educational foundation Cregagh Primary School gave me, I would not be writing this Principal's Letter of Welcome to you all now! 

Please feel free to contact me at any time with questions and/or concerns.  My door is always open to you.  I can be reached by phone at 028 90401246 and by email at info@cregaghps.belfast.ni.sch.uk

I look forward to our learning journey together: children, parents and school.

Yours sincerely,

David F. Heggarty

Principal