Debate backed over admitting boys into West End girls’ school
CONSULTATION will take place on whether to let boys into Scotland’s last remaining state-funded single-sex school.
City chiefs backed the move to open full consultation, which will decide the future of Notre Dame High School, at a meeting yesterday.
The school’s parent council has welcomed the decision, saying it will finally give a voice to families who will be affected.
Notre Dame High For All, a campaign group, has also expressed its delight at the consultation, which will run for six weeks.
Three options have been put forward by council officers. One would see no change while another would allow the school to accept boys.
A third option would retain the single-sex status but would add more local primary schools to its catchment area.
Notre Dame High School parent council is in favour of maintaining the status quo.
Michelle Watt, chairwoman of the parent council, said: “We really hope that it will finally give a voice to those families who are directly affected.
“The impact of changing the status of the school goes way beyond the affluent West End. Local primary schools are already well served by the top performing co-ed secondary schools in Glasgow, right on the doorstep.
“Notre Dame High School is almost full, with a majority of families from diverse cultures and backgrounds choosing to send their girls there via placing requests. Removing that choice, will remove improved opportunity for those areas of our city who do not have top schools close by.
“The school should be held up as an exemplar in our community, in the same way Jordanhill, or the Gaelic School are.
“Like them, it offers Glasgow families additional choice, high academic performance and helps close the attainment gap.”
However, Notre Dame High For All say the school is 10 per cent under capacity while surrounding schools are well over capacity.
Spokeswoman Jill Grady said: “We are delighted the Council has agreed to hold a consultation into whether the school should be co-educational.
“At present Notre Dame High is further disadvantaging already disadvantaged children who, using the Education Scotland Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) are significantly more disadvantaged than those at Notre Dame High.
“Indeed the SIMD level of
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The consultation was drawn up after families from the co-educational Notre Dame Primary called for the council to let boys into Notre Dame High, a Catholic school founded in 1897.
Public meetings will be held at 7pm at Notre Dame High School on April 16, St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School on April 25 and St Roch’s Secondary School on May 7 to allow parents to ask questions. Consultation ends on May 26.