D-Day looming for Drumcree College
TEACHERS and parents of pupils at Drumcree College face an anxious wait this weekend ahead of Monday’s announcement on the future of the school.
The Catholic Maintained school, which has 196 pupils aged from 11-16 and employs 33 staff, has been suffering from falling enrolment for a number of years.
An announcement had initially been expected last October, but this was delayed after the Minister of Education John O’Dowd ordered a viability audit of all schools in the province.
Monday’s launch of the Post-Primary Review report, undertaken on behalf of the NI Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE), is expected to make a recommendation on the way forward for Drumcree College as part of a plan for five schools in the Greater Armagh area.
As part of the review’s consultation process with the public in 2010, four options were proposed for the school. Two involved its closure, leaving no Catholic secondary school in Portadown, while the other two said Drumcree should only remain open if there was a significant increase in pupil numbers,
The initial report pointed out that while the school had capacity for 800 pupils, there were just 236 on the roll. That figure has since fallen.
It is believed that Monday’s report could recommend one of the four options or even put forward a new option.
Principal Noel Bullock, who spoke at the school prize day of the uncertainties created by the delay for both staff and parents, said the school was “eagerly anticipating” the report.
He added, “It has been a long wait but we would rather know than not know. The decision is an important one for teachers, parents, pupils and the wider community.”
Last month, the school held its open night for P7 pupils who will shortly have to make decision on which secondary schools to apply for.
The other four schools included in the Greater Armagh report are St Brigid’s High School, Armagh; St Catherine’s College, Armagh; St Patrick’s Grammar School, Armagh and St Patrick’s High School, Keady.
Of the four options outlined, the first proposal was for one 11-19 co-ed school in Keady, one 11-19 co-ed school in Armagh, inclusive of Irish medium education, and one 11-16 co-ed school in Portadown.
The second option was one 11-19 co-ed school in Keady, two 11-19 single sex schools in Armagh, inclusive of Irish medium education, and one 11-16 co-ed school in Portadown.
Option three was for one 11-19 co-ed school in Keady and two 11-19 single sex schools in Armagh, inclusive of Irish medium education.
The fourth option was one 11-19 co-ed school in Keady and one 11-19 co-ed school in Armagh inclusive of Irish medium education.
Those responding to the consultation were asked to label the options from 1-4 which they believed would best deliver ‘long-term, sustainable post-primary education’.
Drumcree College, which employs 19 teaching staff, seven classroom assistants and seven support staff, was established in ? after the amalgamation of ?
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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