Parents to have their say on plans to merge four Co Down schools

FOUR post-primary schools in Co Down could be merged, creating a single college of more than 1,600 pupils.

The schools involved are Downpatrick’s De La Salle High School, St Mary’s High School and St Patrick’s Grammar School, along with St Columba’s College in Portaferry.

Their futures are being considered by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).

Three proposals are on the table: leaving things as they are, merging the schools into two separate ones, or merging them all into one large college.

CCMS has indicted that its preferred option would be the merging of all.

A consultation process for parents is now under way and is scheduled to finish on May 18.

If it approves the merger it will then be passed on to the Education Authority, which will conduct its own public consultation.

And if that consultation approves it again, it would then be passed to the Department of Education, which would come up with a development proposal.

A final decision on the plans could be made early next year, and if given the go-ahead it is envisioned any new school would open in September 2021.

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath, a governor of St Mary’s High School, urged parents to participate in the consultation regarding the merger.

“I welcome this move to reshape the school provision in the Down and Lecale area,” Mr McGrath said.

“The bottom line is that many children in our area are not accessing a varied enough curriculum because of the restriction of small staff teams located across multiple sites.

“The suggested proposals maximise the opportunities children have and will provide multiple educational pathways — many more than are currently on offer — which will result in improved educational experiences and outcomes.

“I welcome that academic selection will not be used for local children as a means of entry to any proposed new school.

“This antiquated method of selecting children is simply cruel.”

Mr McGrath urged people to make their voices heard.

He added: “The consultation is open until mid-May and I would encourage parents and local The SDLP’s Colin McGrath has urged parents to take part in the consultation over the proposed merger people that are interested to appraise themselves with the consultation and to participate in the process to ensure their views are made known.”

The proposals have received a mixed reaction from parents in the area.

Jennifer McGrath’s daughter attends St Mary’s High School. She told the BBC that parents were informed the move would enable pupils to have “a much wider selection of subjects and to have a bigger range of resources available”.

However, Kelly Hill, whose children have autism, said she was worried about how they may react to any changes.

“It’s a completely wrong idea,” she told the BBC.

“To come into a school that they have known is routine, is structured and that everything is there — 100 or 600 pupils — even 10 pupils is even too much around a child with autism.”

CCMS declined to comment.