Merger postponed to 2024 as Red High PFA fight plan

Merger postponed to 2024 as Red High PFA fight plan

26 October 2022

THE opening of a new Catholic secondary school in Downpatrick is to be postponed for a year.

The 1,600-pupil voluntary grammar school, to be created by the amalgamation of three existing schools, was due to open in September next year.

However, it has been announced that the opening will not take place until September 2024.

Under the controversial plan, which has been approved by Education Minister Michelle McIlveen, St Patrick’s Grammar School, De La Salle High School and St Mary’s High School will be merged into one school.

On Friday the De La Salle Congregational Trustees said it was announcing, with the agreement of the Department of Education, that a new implementation date of September 1, 2024, was being proposed in order to support the “complex work needed to establish the new school”.

It was also announced that the admission process for all three schools in 2023 would remain unchanged.

The postponement has been welcomed by the board of governors of St Patrick’s, which has reiterated its long-standing opposition to the merger.

A spokesperson for the board of governors said the school’s position in relation to the proposals remained unchanged.

The spokesperson also said the board will explore “all possible avenues” to further challenge the decision.

“The Board of St Patrick’s Grammar School welcomes this postponement as it will allow the Board time to commit to engage with the implementation process but delay that until all challenge options have been exhausted,” the spokesperson continued.

“Finally, in the interest of clarity, the Board have a number of questions that need to be answered by the Trustees and the Department going forward.”

In a letter sent on Friday, the De La Salle Congregational Trustees said: “The Trustees look forward to working with all three schools to implement this important decision. The establishment of the new school, through the merger of the three existing schools, will be overseen by an Interim Board of Governors. The membership of the Interim Board of Governors will be representative of the three schools. 

“In the coming week the Trustees will meet with the chairs of the Boards of Governors of the three schools and the members of the Downpatrick Project Board, to begin the establishment of the Interim Board of Governors (IBoG). 

“The IBoG will be formed, after which it will provide regular updates to the school community, and will engage proactively with pupils, staff/trade unions and governors to ensure a smooth transition to the new school. 

“The Trustees, with the agreement of DE [Department of Education], are proposing an implementation date of 1st September, 2024. This is to support the IBoG and Principal Designate in the complex work needed to establish the new school. They will consult on an implementation plan in the new year. 

“The Trustees will be working with CCMS [Council for Catholic Maintained Schools] as the managing authority of two of the schools and with the Down and Connor Diocese as Trustee of St Mary’s HS in progressing the new school. They will also seek support from the Education Authority, Catholic Schools Trustee Service and Governing Bodies Association.”

Meanwhile, the Red High PFA, the St Patrick’s Grammar School parents’ body, has reiterated its opposition to the merger.

It said: “As we await advice from the Board of Governors and the school we would like to confirm that the Red High PFA remain strongly opposed to this flawed proposal.

“How can an amalgamated school of 1,600 pupils, spread across multiple sites be in the best interests of pupils and staff from the three schools and the local community? This proposal will particularly disadvantage boys and girls in rural areas.

“We are committed to fight this, fully exploring, and exhausting all avenues.”