Three mobile classrooms at a Gaelscoil in Castlewellan, Co Down, were badly damaged by a fire this morning.
The fire service was called to the Circular Road premises after the alert was raised at about 4am and spent a number of hours at the scene of what is a suspected arson.
The school is sited in the grounds of Down Council Community Hall and the 60 pupils are housed in the three mobile classrooms which have been destroyed and two more in the hall.
“This is a downright disgusting act,” said local SDLP councillor Eamonn O’Neill after the three classrooms at Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche were destroyed.
Mr O’Neill said it looked like arsonists took a shopping trolley from a local supermarket, filled it with newspaper, pushed it against one of the classrooms and set it on fire in what he called “a cowardly attack”.
“Unfortunately lots of records and reports and the labours of years of hard work by both teachers and pupils have been destroyed but thankfully, over time, these can be replaced.”
Pupils are due to return for the start of the new school year on Tuesday, and they will not be delayed.
The local education board had been “absolutely excellent” and had already located three replacement mobiles which would be put in place as soon as possible, Mr O'Neill said.
Sinn Féin MLA Willie Clarke added: “This arson attack has destroyed this school and has shocked the community, the teachers and those who attend the school.
“What is particularly sickening is that this attack comes only days before the school and nursery were set to reopen for the new school year.”
The PSNI said they were investigating the fire and that forensic experts were examining the remains amid strong suspicions it was started deliberately.