School is seeking more pupil places

School is seeking more pupil places

4 July 2012 - by Ciara Colhoun

A RURAL primary school struggling to cater for local demand is hoping government officials will permit a future increase in its primary one intake.

Governors of St. Mary’s Primary School in Dunsford were this year forced to turn away children from the parish due to a restriction on first year intake.

The school is only allowed to accept 12 new starts in September, meaning several local families have had to be turned down following their applications to the school.

Several local mums complained to the Down Recorder in April after learning their children had not been granted a place for this September.

Although two of these parents have since had their children admitted to the school following an appeal procedure, they are still angry about the school’s low intake and have joined school’s governors and local councillor William Walker to appeal for a greater enrolment figure in future.

Mrs. Cathy Rogan was delighted to receive a letter at the weekend informing her that her son Calum, who had been denied a place in the school in April due to oversubion, may now be admitted.

She said the appeal process, during which she successfully argued that she lived as close to the school as some others who had been admitted, was very stressful and something she hoped other parents could avoid in the future.

“We were very lucky that we got the outcome we were looking for but other families have not been so lucky,” she said.

“The school’s intake of just 12 for primary one is not enough and I think the Department of Education needs to look at why so many people want into the school.

“The enrolment numbers should not be kept so low that children are being forced away. That is very unfair when the school very obviously has the capacity for more pupils.”

Mrs. Rogan’s comment were this week echoed by school principal, Mr. John Magee.

Speaking on behalf of governors, he said there was some confusion about why the school’s enrolment had been set at 81, which is the limit for a three classroom school. As a four classroom school, it is believed the enrolment should be in the 86-115 category.

“Governors have frequently asked for St. Mary’s to have an enrolment and admissions entitlement of a four classroom school,” he said.

“They are perplexed as to why St. Mary’s is not treated as a four classroom school since it has four permanent classrooms which have been operational for the last nine years.

“The restricted enrolment and admissions number has placed the governors in a very difficult position as the school is very often oversubscribed and some children in the parish of Dunsford have had to be refused admission.”

Killyleagh councillor William Walker, who represented the disgruntled parents when their children were refused admission, said he hoped to raise the issue with the Department of Education to avoid angst for other families next year.

“It is very unfair that this school is not being allowed to grow particularly when there are threats over schools due to small enrolments,” he said.

“A school like St. Mary’s should be allowed to grow according to local demand, otherwise it is not being given a fair chance in the light of a current review of local schooling.”

A spokesman for the South Eastern Education and Library Board said the the enrolment and admissions number for each school was set by the Department of Education depending on the teaching accommodation available for use by pupils. He said this number may not be exceeded.

“The area planning process currently being undertaken by the boards will examine issues such as the number of places required in a geographical area and resulting from this there may be opportunity for schools to secure changes to their enrolment number where there is the need for additional places in the whole area,” he said.

“Any changes resulting from area planning will not affect the September 2012 intake or enrolment numbers.”