Planned changes to catchment areas aim to reduce pressure on over-subscribed schools.

An order being brought to next week’s Tynwald sitting will see part of the catchment area for Peel Clothworkers’ Primary and Michael Primary being shared, giving parents who live in this area the choice of which school their child attends.

And pupils living in an area in the south of Peel Clothworkers’ catchment area will instead be able to attend either St John’s Primary or Foxdale Primary.

Boundaries will also been redrawn between Henry Bloom Noble Primary and Scoill yn Jubilee and between Onchan Primary and Ashley Hill Primary.

Figures released in the House of Keys in April indicated that nine primary schools and one secondary school - Ballakermeen - are currently close to capacity or oversubscribed.

In Onchan, Ashley Hill’s roll is almost 100 under capacity, while Onchan Primary was predicted to be 32 over-capacity in September.

The education department wrote to all parents for the 2017 intake, asking if any of them would be prepared to send their children to Ashley Hill instead.

In the west of the island. Peel Clothworkers is projected to be 44 over-capacity, while St John’s, Michael and Foxdale all have spare places in their classrooms.

Meawhile, Dhoon School in Maughold is one of five primaries forecast to have 10 or fewer new starters registered for the 2017-18 school year.

Education chiefs have rejected the idea of scrapping the catchment area policy altogether, maintaining that this would not be the answer to empty classes - and could actually lead to schools shutting.

Graham Cregeen MHK, Minister for Education and Children, said: ’As the population shifts, and as schools are developed, we review catchment areas to ensure we are making the best use of facilities.

’For example, it has been well-publicised that few pupils were signed up to start at Ashley Hill Primary this autumn, while nearby Onchan expects a large intake.

’The redrawing of the boundaries there will mean a more even distribution of pupils, reducing pressure on Onchan and ultimately benefiting all pupils.

’The development of the new Henry Bloom Noble Primary, which has spare capacity, enables us to reduce pressure on neighbouring Scoill yn Jubilee,’ the Minister continued.

’Changes to catchments in the west of the island will hopefully prevent numbers getting too high at Peel Clothworkers while giving parents greater choice.’

If approved, the Order will come into effect on September 1 but, with the vast majority of new starters already signed up to schools by then, would largely affect admissions from September 2018 onwards.