Talks urged in row over junior boys’ enrolment

Cork’s Lord Mayor has urged parents and management at a school that wants to enrol junior infants to discuss any changes with other schools and avoid creating enemies.

Catherine Clancy’s message came as a second neighbouring school to Scoil Mhuire Fatima North Monastery criticised its decision to expand beyond its current policy of enrolling boys from second to sixth classes only. The plan does not have the required approval of school patron Catholic bishop, John Buckley, who said there needs to be local consensus before it could be supported.

The move was criticised on Monday by nearby North Presentation primary school, which has 70 boys in classes up to first class among its 232 pupils and stands to lose most if male pupils start school elsewhere. The board of St Vincent’s Primary School, which has 50 boys among its 309 pupils, issued a statement last night saying the latest proposal is causing immediate nervousness and long-standing uncertainty about the future direction of education in the parish.

“The board considers this proposal is a betrayal of the trust and co-operation that existed between all the schools in the parish for many years,” it said.

It raised concern about the impact on children and parents planning for September, and said it is committed to working with all parish schools to try to address the issues.

A proposal was made by the three schools’ trustees in February to amalgamate Scoil Mhuire Fatima and St Vincent’s on the convent school’s ground; to move a neighbouring gaelscoil into the North Mon primary building; and to make North Pres fully co-educational on a phased basis. The plan was withdrawn two months ago, but it left an unresolved question of falling enrolments in the parish, which has worst affected Scoil Mhuire Fatima where pupil numbers are down from 254 to 171 since 2007.

Ms Clancy told 40 parents at a meeting in Scoil Mhuire Fatima their campaign on that plan succeeded because local people were united. Howver, she said, there must be consultations if the plan to allow infant boys enrol is also to succeed.

“You can send all the emails to the minister you want, but you don’t want enemies,” she said. “You need the parents and the boards of management of different schools to sit down together, and that’s the only way it’s going to go forward.”

Scoil Mhuire Fatima principal Carl O’Brien said his board’s proposal to have infant classes was supported by their trustees, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, before Bishop Buckley asked for a plan to secure Catholic education in the parish, which led to the plan that was shelved in March. He said the board has no issue with the other parish schools but wants to secure their own future.

The ERST told the Irish Examiner it was unable to progress the school’s infant enrolment proposal when it was rejected by the bishop, and the recent announcement was not discussed in advance with the trust body.

“As trustees we have pointed out to the board of management that the approval of the patron is a necessary condition for them to change their enrolment policy,” said ERST chief executive Gerry Bennett.

Mr O’Brien confirmed to parents that the school might not get Department of Education sanction for any extra teachers if it takes extra pupils. But, he told parents, he would take on teaching duties to facilitate the extra numbers if necessary.