Parents furious over relocation of school

Angry parents demanded information last night after they suddenly learnt their children’s fee-paying school is to relocate within days from the city centre to the suburbs.

Just yesterday, days before the Scoil Mhuire pupils were to return for the new secondary school year, they were told that the school had run out of classroom space as a landlord had decided in July not to continue renting to the school.

As a result, the entire school, normally located at Sidney Place, was being “forced” to relocate to an industrial estate in Blackpool as teachers could not be expected to travel a mile and a half between classes at the new rental property and classes at the rest of the school.

In a shock letter to parents yesterday, the school management apologised for the short notice and said “in normal circumstances, we would have given everyone time to make new arrangements for travelling to school during this period”.

They added that the school is now focussing on “the adjustment, redecoration and transfer of furniture and equipment that will be needed for the new school year”.

The school has asked that parents make “constructive suggestions” to the Parent Council that can help them in the re-location.

A meeting was hastily convened at the Maryborough Park Hotel last night.

One father, who did not want to be named, described Blackpool as a “traffic bottleneck” in the mornings.

“How will the girls manage to get to city-based extra curricular activities? Half of the school run straight from Sidney Place to the School of Music a few evenings a week. How will they make their music classes now? It will be impossible.”

Another mother said that the relocation will cause huge inconvenience as parents will be forced to rearrange how and at what time their daughters get to school each day.

“I had all my plans for next week arranged and now suddenly everything is in the air. Also, the timetable has now been all changed for next week. The girls were supposed to go back to school on a full-time basis next Thursday and now it will be Monday before classes resume as normal,” she said.

Another mother said that the change would be “particularly disruptive for children with special needs who need routine and stability”.

In a letter to parents yesterday, the school management described the move to the Sunbeam Industrial Estate as “only viable solution to our problem given the numbers involved and the time constraints”.

The school has told the parents they are trying to find a private bus company that will transfer the children to Blackpool. It’s unknown whether parents will be charged for this bus journey.

The school is also hoping to start the school day later, shorten lunch break and end the school day earlier so the girl’s extra curricular activities won’t be affected.