Huge demand for places prompts school admissions review

MANAGEMENT at a Co Kerry school, where parents are queuing in a bid to secure places for their children, yesterday confirmed part of the school’s admissions policy is being reviewed.

The parents started queuing at Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School, in Tralee, last Friday, and upwards of 60 remained there yesterday, hoping to get some of the 40-50 first year places due to become available in September 2010.

Initially, the parents lined up outdoors in the school grounds, but management has since opened the school gymnasium for them.

This is the third year in which queues formed at the 1,170-pupil school. Last year, however, parents queued for just one night, compared with five days and nights this year.

In a statement yesterday, the management board said there had been an unexpected increase in queues as concerned parents tried to get places for their children under the current first come, first served criterion.

It comes into operation after a quota of first year places is filled from feeder primary schools which have first claim, including siblings of Mounthawk pupils and pupils who have completed their education in Mercy primary schools in Tralee.

This admissions policy has operated since 2001 and, according to management, worked well when supply and demand for places were more balanced.

“But, in this situation where demand has increased, the board has initiated a review of this criterion with a view to eliminating queues in the future and is considering a variety of approaches,” the management statement went on. Enrolment forms will be issued tomorrow at 9.15pm.

School principal John O’Roarke was unable to say how many places would be available. “All we can say is that the number offered last year (for September 2009) is 47, to-date, and the process has not yet been completed,” he said.

Meanwhile the parents, resting on mattresses, folding chairs and sleeping bags in the heated school gym, have agreed a queuing system among themselves.

Owen Mooney, of Knockanish, Tralee, who is looking for a place for his 11-year-old son, Mark, is in 41st place.

“Like everyone else in the first 50, or so, I’m confident of getting a place for Mark. Everyone here since Friday is prepared to stick it out at this stage,” added Mr Mooney, who lives just over a kilometre from the school.

However, it is understood a few people who found themselves at the end of the queue and past 60th place gave up and returned home.

Some parents have called for the introduction of a catchment area to ensure pupils living near the school got places.

“The present situation is ridiculous, with people from seven, or eight, miles outside Tralee looking for places. They have the same entitlement to places as children living close by and that should not be the case,” complained one parent.