Single-sex school to admit boys
BOYS will be allowed into Scotland’s last all-girls state school despite the protests of current pupils.
Staff and pupils from Notre Dame High School gathered at Glasgow’s city chambers to watch as councillors voted to make the school co-educational for the first time in its 122-year history.
Campaigners said it was a “shameful decision”.
Girls at the West End school had pleaded with elected members to change their mind and the Muslim Council of Scotland said it was “saddened” by the decision, criticising the public consultation.
From August 2021, boys will be admitted to the Catholic school – but only in S1 that year.
Disappointed pupils said they felt “let down and ignored” by “those who have the duty to represent us”.
“While we have found the process challenging during our times of study, the experience of engaging with politics at a local level has been both beneficial and eye opening,” a pupil representative group said.
“It is our hope that future generations of girls from all over Glasgow will continue to benefit from the wonderful opportunities that our school offers.
“As current pupils, we will do everything it takes to ensure our school remains one of the top performing schools in the city.”
A spokesperson for the Girls for Notre Dame campaign group said: “In the midst of a 2019 election which has women’s rights at its very heart, this is a shameful decision.
“There is no common sense in removing education choice from the many to give to the privileged few who already have some of the best performing co-ed secondary schools right on their doorstep.
“The young women, who now will be disadvantaged by this decision, including the 49% of Muslim girls who attend the school, deserve a clear explanation of why this choice is being taken away from them.”
However, the NDH4All campaign group thanked councillors for allowing “girls and boys to go to their local school with their friends, sisters and brothers”.
“Throughout this consultation parents and pupils have spoken passionately for both sides of the debate and we are grateful for the respectful and measured approach that has been taken by all,” a spokeswoman said.
“Notre Dame High is an excellent school with dedicated and hard working staff, and the school will continue to educate the city’s children to the highest possible standards.”
The council’s education convener
Chris Cunningham, below, said the consultation process “did not produce a clear and conclusive result”. He said there was a “majority for all girls but not an overwhelming one”.
“We were always clear this was not a consultation where the option with the most votes was the winner,” he added.
An Education Scotland report found no “convincing evidence” to support claims that girls “are attaining better or indeed worse in a single sex environment”. It did state staff found it challenging to ensure effective transitions for children from so many primary schools.
The convener said this was one of the reasons why the decision had been made, adding it would also minimise transport costs and ease pressures on other schools in the area.
Maureen McKenna, the council’s executive director of Education, said: “Now that the decision has been made by elected members, education officers will start to develop transition plans and will engage with school and parent representatives from all the associated primary schools and secondary schools affected by changes.” Labour councillor Soryia Siddique criticised the council’s minority SNP administration for making a decision on the school’s future before the final report had been published. However, council leader Susan Aitken said the decision had been based on the consultation.