The Cope family of Loughgall erected the original school on the Main Street of Mountnorris in the 1840's. Their purpose in doing so was to make provision for the educational needs of the children of tenants on the Cope Estate.

Until the 1930's the school was small enough to warrant having only a single teacher. Attendance was not large and during periods of harvest and potato gathering was even more seriously depleted. The school had no electricity, light being provided by Aladdin lamps and heat by a single pot-bellied stove in each room.

The school was taken over by the education committee in 1932 but it was not until the 1950's that running water toilets were installed, replacing the one dry lavatory.

Agriculture was a precarious occupation and few parents could afford to send their children to grammar school or technical college. Children therefore enrolled at Mountnorris school when they were five years old and remained there until they left school aged fourteen. Basic reading, writing and arithmetic were taught with discipline strictly enforced by the use of the cane. One former pupil recalled having said his mathematical tables as many as thirteen times a day!

As education became both necessary and compulsory there came with it a need for a modern, more spacious building. In 1960 a new building was erected on land purchased from Mr. Roy Henry. The building, costing £25,000 contained two classrooms and an additional room for domestic science and woodwork. The school celebrated the fortieth anniversary of this building in the year 2000 by staging a fun day complete with balloon race.

The current school goes from strength to strength with its pupils regularly participating in a variety of sports, academic subjects, music and crafts. The school also engages in a healthy relationship with other schools in the area, to encourage within their pupils a sense of community awareness. The school enables children to visit numerous places of local interest, complimenting their studies in the classroom.

Mr. McDonald
Mr. Spence
Mr. Morrison
Mrs. Morrison
1930-1974 Mrs. Flack
1974-1994 Mr. Adams
1994- Mr. Wilson
In 2014, the current principal is Mrs G Watley.

Adam Brown, "New School in Mountnorris", The Ulster Gazette, Monday 1 September 1960:

"Today a new school has been opened in Mountnorris. This is due to the increase in children going to Mountnorris Primary School and to provide further education for the older students. The land was purchased from Mr Roy Henry and was built by McKinney from Tanderagee. The principle (Mrs Flack) explained that it was far more spacious and modern, "It's also safer for the children who have a brand new playground better than the dirty and dangerous road." We also interviewed a pupil who had gone to the old school and changed to the new school in Mountnorris. "The new school is far better than the school that's across the road beacause it is bigger and we have a new playground," replied the very happy and pleasede pupil. Miss Robinson the assistant teacher discussed with us that she liked the new school because she had more room to teach the class. The grand total for the school was £25000. Hopefully this school will be a success.

Photo of the school. Photo of the school.

Photo of the school. Photo of the school.