Catchment areas in the east of the island are up for review, the education department has confirmed.

A number of parents from Scoill yn Jubilee have previously told Isle of Man Newspapers of their upset at the possibility of the school’s catchment area being changed.

The parents have called the Department of Education, Sport and Culture actions in ordering them to send to their children to St Ninian’s High School, where years seven to nine are taught on the site in Onchan instead of Ballakermeen in Douglas.

However, the Manx Independent contacted the DESC after a memo was laid before the May sitting of Tynwald which said: ’The Scoill yn Jubilee catchment area will become a joint catchment area for both Ballakermeen High School and St Ninian’s High School, rather than being a catchment area school solely for Ballakermeen High School.’

The department has now confirmed that for the 2019/20 academic year, parents can choose to send their children to either high school.

Now the wider issue of catchment areas is under review.

A spokesman said: ’The change to the school catchment area order is intended for the 2019/20 academic year.

’However a general review of the catchment areas for schools in the east of the island is currently being undertaken and subject to this review, further changes may or may not be necessary.’

Education Minister Graham Cregeen has previously said the decision to switch the catchment area had been made in response to the fact that Ballakermeen was operating at over-capacity, while St Ninian’s pupil numbers were below the maximum limit.

Mr Cregeen also said that the department hoped the joint catchment proposal for 2019/20 would solve the capacity problem.