PRIMARY pupils in East Renfrewshire will no longer have an automatic choice of denominational and non-denominational secondary schooling, if councillors approve plans by officials.
In a move which could prove a fraught attempt to release the pressure on popular secondaries, pupils who are in a primary school as the result of a placing request will have to submit a second request to attend the local secondary.
A report to the council’s education committee yesterday (Thursday) suggested that all secondaries should be “delineated”, ensuring that a successful placing request made to an East Renfrewshire primary does not guarantee progression to the associated secondary. A further placing request will be required at the point of transfer.
Currently St Ninian’s High in Eastwood, seen as a magnet school, is the only delineated school.
John Wilson, head of quality development and school provision, said the council was forced to keep two secondary places for each primary pupil - one in the local non-denominational secondary and one in the denominational school.
“This anomaly has rarely been exploited by parents until very recently, when we have experienced a large number of parents whose children attend non-denominational primary schools in the Giffnock area exercising their present right to choose to attend St Ninian’s High,” Mr Wilson said.
“This year there were 46 pupils in this category and we were only able to accommodate them because an extension had been opened. Clearly this puts additional pressure on St Ninian’s and adversely affects the local non-denominational school, Woodfarm High.”
He added: “In primary, parents will choose their sector, either non-denominational or denominational. In secondary, pupils will subsequently be guaranteed a place in their chosen sector and transfer from one sector to another may only be done by a placing request.”
