Collegiate Grammar School, Enniskillen
IN A LANDMARK moment for education in Fermanagh the amalgamation of Portora Royal School and Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School has been approved.
Education Minister John O’Dowd made his announcement last Friday morning stating that the decision put ‘the needs of the pupils first’, rather than those of individual institutions. The decision means that come September 2015 Portora Royal School and Enniskillen Collegiate will close as single entities.
“My vision for education here is that all our young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential and are encouraged to do so, regardless of which sector they attend.”
He continued: “We must maintain a network of sustainable schools, capable of providing quality education across a broad and balanced curriculum. They must be financially viable as well as educationally sound and make the best use of the public money entrusted to us whilst also providing the environment to support pupils’ personal development.
“I recognise that the establishment of a new school will mean that two long-established schools will discontinue. However these proposals put the needs of the pupils first in determining the future of post-primary school provision in Fermanagh, rather than the needs of individual institutions.”
The news has been welcomed by the Board of Governors at Portora, but at Enniskillen Collegiate, principal Elizabeth Armstrong has vowed the fight is far from over.
“We are obviously very concerned and disappointed that the Minister has chosen to close the Collegiate and ignore the clearly expressed opposition of the Board of Governors, staff, parents and pupils to these controversial proposals. We would ask the question: If this can happen to a consistently oversubscribed grammar school with a proven record and strong public support is any grammar school safe in the current situation?”
Highlighting the distinguished 400 year history of Portora, Ms Armstrong stated her fears regarding any possible new build in the near future.
“There is no guarantee of a new build: indeed the split site is written into the development proposals. The school will also be potentially financially vulnerable due to the reduced number of pupil places in a scenario where funding follows pupils with the running costs of the two existing sites remaining constant.”
“On the basis of the overwhelming public and community support expressed so vividly at both local and regional level during the consultation period we remain resolute in our determination to stand firm in our opposition to these proposals.
This is by no means over and we will explore all possible options to overturn this decision which will not benefit our young people and our community.”
A spokesman from the Portora Board of Governors praised the decision.
“The governors of Portora Royal School welcome the Minister’s approval of the development proposals and remain convinced that the decision will benefit all pupils in the controlled and voluntary sectors in Fermanagh while securing sustainable grammar school education in the county.”
A Western Education and Library Board (WELB) spokesman added that the decision is in the “best educational interests of all post primary pupils in the controlled and voluntary non-denominational sectors in Fermanagh and will ensure the long term sustainability of both the new proposed Grammar School and Devenish College.”
What’s next?
• As a result of Education Minister John O’Dowd’s decision, an Interim Board of Governors will be established, the membership of which will be constituted on a 50/50 basis – 50% representation from the Collegiate Grammar School’s Board of Governors and 50% representation from Portora Royal School’s Board of Governors.
• The Interim Board of Governors will have the responsibility of taking forward all arrangements to effect the amalgamation.
• Draft proposals for the amalgamation published by the Western Education and Library Board in May stated that the schools should amalgamate with effect from 1 September 2015, or as soon as possible thereafter, with both Collegiate Grammar and Portora then to close. The target date is unlikely at this stage due to the Collegiate’s plans to overturn the Minister’s decision.
• If the amalgamation does go ahead the school will operate on split sites at Portora and Collegiate until a new build is completed, with the Portora site, at this stage the most likely option for such a development.
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