Plans for future of local Post Primary education revealed

According to the Board, the response to the consultation in Ballymena was the largest throughout the Board’s area, bolstered by the huge number of petitions submitted by three schools.

A spokesperson said: “The Board values the level of responses made in relation to the draft area plans, which along with the Terms of Reference for Area Based Planning, helped shape the proposals.”

The proposals for Ballymena are:

• Ballymena Academy will continue as an 11-19 Grammar School with its enrolment increasing initially to a maximum enrolment of 1230 pupils from 2014 extending in stages to a maximum enrolment of 1375 pupils by the year 2025.

• Cambridge House Grammar School will become an 11-19 Bi-Lateral school, (selecting a proportion of its intake on the basis of academic ability) of 1030 pupils up to the year 2014 and will then reduce in stages to a maximum enrolment of 935 pupils.

• Slemish College will continue as an 11-19 school with initial growth to an enrolment of 800 pupils from the year 2014, extending in stages to a maximum enrolment of 880 pupils by the year 2025.

• Cullybackey High School will continue as an 11-19 school with a maximum enrolment of 700 pupils in the year 2014 extending in stages to a maximum enrolment of 770 pupils by the year 2025.

• Dunclug College will continue as an 11-19 school with a maximum enrolment of 700 pupils in the year 2014 extending in stages to a maximum enrolment of 935 pupils by the year 2025.

• Ballee Community High School will be considered for closure from 31 August 2014.

The Trustees also recommend the establishment of a partnership of three schools: St Louis’ Grammar School, St Patrick’s College and St Benedict’s (Randalstown), leading to the creation of one 11 -19 Catholic managed post-primary school for the area, with provision being retained in both Ballymena and Randalstown. This proposal will form an integral part of the wider strategic provision for the Ballymena area (1950 pupils).

A total of 14,218 responses to the consultation were received: 580 online, 226 written submissions and 13,412 petitions (from three schools).

Issues emerging from the consultation according to the Board were...

• Difficulties caused by the current pattern of enrolment

• Equality of access to grammar school provision

• The demand for places at Slemish College

• The rurality of Cullybackey High school

• The current over provision of school places

• School performance issues

• Enrolment at Ballee Community High School and the issue of parental choice

• Education provision for south Ballymena

• The demand for places at Ballymena Academy

The NEELB spokesperson said: “An Action Plan will now be prepared to take forward to progress consultation on those proposals which involve potential changes to current school provision.”

“The Board is committed to providing quality education for all our young people and we will continue to work closely with Governors, principals, teachers, parents and pupils to develop education provision for the current and future generations of young people in our area”.

All information relating to the Post Primary Area Plans is available on the Board’s website – www.neelb.org.uk