Schools at war over plan to enrol boys

A Cork primary school has strongly criticised a neighbouring school over its unapproved plans to enrol infant boys.

Scoil Mhuire Fatima at North Monastery announced last week it plans to widen enrolment but risks having its board of management removed, as it does not have Bishop John Buckley’s approval.

The boys school only has pupils from second class upwards, and its numbers have fallen from 250 to 170 since 2007.

Meanwhile, North Presentation Primary School, one of two convent schools teaching boys up to first class in the same northside parish, said it was concerned that Scoil Mhuire Fatima proposes to unilaterally contravene long-standing procedures and ignore other key stakeholders in the area.

“This proposal has the potential to undermine many years of co-operation and be detrimental to the children, notwithstanding the fact that it is completely unilateral and we have formally advised the minister [for education] and the patron of our outright opposition to the proposal,” the North Pres board of management said in a statement.

Bishop Buckley has already ruled out support for the plan and a spokesperson said the diocese had been told by the board and trustees of St Vincent’s primary school they oppose it.

North Pres is the only one of the three schools whose pupil numbers have risen in recent years. Boys make up 70 of its 232 children.

Scoil Mhuire Fatima sought approval to enrol infants two years ago but, because of the likely impact on the convent schools, Bishop Buckley asked the trustees of all three for a plan to secure Catholic primary education in the parish.

This led to a proposal last February that the boys’ school amalgamate with St Vincent’s across the road, and for North Pres to teach boys and girls all the way to sixth class.

However, strong opposition led the trustees to withdraw the plan. The North Pres board said it was agreed that any future changes should be by consultation and agreement with all education providers in the area.

Scoil Mhuire Fatima principal Carl O’Brien said the issues will be addressed at an information meeting for parents this afternoon.

“We don’t want to upset any other school but we have been through the mill after being threatened with closure last February,” he said. “There is demand from local parents to be able to enrol boys in junior infants and continue in the same school through to sixth.”

The bishop’s spokesman said Scoil Mhuire Fatima’s enrolment plan has not got the required approval of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, its trustee, of Bishop Buckley as school patron, or of Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.

“When the previous amalgamation proposal was made, the patron indicated he would not consent to any proposal that did not enjoy local agreement, and the same principle applies in this case,” said the spokesman. “There is no consensus on this plan and the other schools are objecting.”