Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Schools to hear about major changes

Belfast and Holywood schools to hear about changes

Dundonald High School Dundonald High School is one of two schools facing possible closure

Seven secondary schools in Belfast and Holywood will find out later if they will face major changes, including possible closure.

Some of them could be expanded to cater for pupils left without places.

The schools facing closure are Dundonald High and Orangefield High in east Belfast.

Dundonald has 247 pupils and is in formal intervention because of its performance, however there is strong local opposition to the closure.

Orangefield was due to close last year but that was postponed when it was realised that other schools needed to expand to take in the pupils left without a school.

The east Belfast school did not accept any new pupils last year and has only 80 children currently on its rolls.

There is also a proposal to merge Knockbreda and Newtownbreda schools and replace them with a campus for 1,000 pupils.

That too was opposed by those who responded to consultation.

The department of education has been considering the fates of seven schools in all and three could be enlarged: Ashfield Girls and Boys and Priory Integrated college in Holywood.

By 2018, Ashfield Boys, which currently has 666 pupils, would be allowed to enrol 850 Ashfield girls now has 708 pupils and would be permitted to take in 900.

Priory college teaches 500 pupils and the proposal is to raise that number to 600.

The decisions are in the hands of Education Minister John O'Dowd and the results will be announced later on Tuesday.


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