Triple high school merger will create new super college

Triple high school merger will create new super college

26 October 2016

DOWNPATRICK could have its own Catholic super college by September 2018.

Negotiations to create the area’s largest school, through the amalgamation of St Patrick’s Grammar School, De La Salle High School and St Mary’s High School, are understood to be at an advanced stage.

Discussions, which have until now been held behind closed doors, are expected to be put to the public in the near future through the launch of a major consultation exercise.

The news, which would spell an end to single sex education in the town, comes following years of speculation over the future of the three schools, which currently cater for almost 1,500 pupils across three sites.

The possibility of a single large campus first emerged in a major review of secondary schooling launched by the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education in 2010, calling for an end to single sex and academically selective education in the town.

The vision was rejected by St Patrick’s Grammar School a couple of years later with governors withdrawing from discussions because of their determination to maintain independent grammar school status.

It is understood governors are now back on board with the condition that distinctive grammar streams are maintained.

St Patrick’s state-of-the-art building at Saul Street is considered a natural centre for the new school, which would extend onto the adjacent De La Salle High School site.

St Mary’s High School’s site, which would be vacated as a result of the move, has been raised as a possible new home for the nearby Our Lady and St Patrick’s Primary School, which caters for almost 450 pupils at Edward Street.

The move towards a single super campus coincides with Education Minister Peter Weir’s announcement last week, at the launch of a new draft strategy plan for school provision, that he expects sixth forms to have a minimum enrolment of 100 pupils to ensure access to a wide range of subjects.

This would have potential implications for St Mary’s High School, which had a sixth form enrolment last year of 86 pupils, and De La Salle High School, which had an enrolment of 43 sixth formers.

A spokeswoman for the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, which would manage the merger, has confirmed that discussions remain ongoing around the official recommendation to create a model of co-educational provision.

The development plan around this recommendation, which was published by the South Eastern Education and Library Board in 2013, includes the need to maximise the use of existing resources, including staff and buildings.

The spokeswoman said that an official proposal, if made, would be subject to full public consultation and a decision by the Education Minister before any changes would be implemented.

Officials at the three schools were this week reluctant to speak about the nature of any discussions.

Brother Patrick Collier, a trustee of De La Salle High School and St Patrick’s Grammar School, confirmed the creation of a single co-educational college remained on the agenda and would need to be explored in the public arena.

Mr Sean Sloan, principal of St Patrick’s Grammar School, said that although the schools were looking at a common way forward, there were no concrete plans of what the future might hold.

“As it stands there is no detail because there is no solution,” he said. “If there is a common future it is a fair bit off at the moment.”

De La Salle High School’s principal Mr Barry Sharvin also declined to comment on plans for Downpatrick, but said educators needed to be realistic in the current financial climate and “more effective with spending.”

“Unfortunately that is going to mean less schools, but that is the only way to go to give the children the education they need,” he said.

St Mary’s High School principal Mrs Sheila Darling was unavailable for comment.