An MHK is concerned about the future capacity of Ballasalla School.

Jason Moorhouse feels the ‘dramatic increase’ in student numbers between 2020 and 2022 spells bad news for the future.

He asked Education Minister Julie Edge for the number of students who attended the school at the start of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 academic years and for the projected figures for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Ms Edge said that in 2020 the number who attended at the beginning of the year was 101, which rose to 115 in 2021 and to 137 this year.

The projected figures are 138 in 2023, 147 in 2024 and rising up to 148 in 2025.

The capacity for Ballasalla School is 150 pupils.

The village is growing with the current construction of Reayrt Mie, which will include 280 two-, three- and four-bedroom modern homes.

Mr Moorhouse said: ‘I am more concerned than I was when I initially asked the question.

‘Between the start of the school year 2020 and 2022, the number of children at the school rose from 101 to 137.

‘This is a dramatic increase given that most of the homes that really have the potential to boost student numbers, the first-time buyer and affordable housing, are only now starting to become available on the new development.

‘It seems quite concerning, given the actual figures show such a low rate of growth.’

He added: ‘The projections are for one more child in 2023, an addition of 10 by 2024 and an increase of 11 by September 2025 from the September 2022 figures.

‘That basically suggests the department is projecting a total in student numbers at the school over the next three years to be 11. That is below the average annual increase in each of the last three years.

‘In 2020-2021 the increase was 14 and in 2021-2022 the increase was 22.

‘Rather than looking at total increases in all year groups, which is what will happen, the department is still basing its figures on entry at reception level.

‘Other issues that have to be resolved are getting additional staff so that all year groups are taught separately.’

The Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK said that, from a short-term perspective, he wondered whether additional accommodation could be in place by September 2023.

‘The minister suggests it can, but with no budget submission in place, no planning application and a challenge accessing new [mobile classrooms] it will be a challenge in my view,’ Mr Moorhouse said.

‘Also, how can we realistically expect a new school to materialise in the near future? The minister stated less than a month ago we were still a year away from getting the plans for the new school at Castle Rushen.

‘The key positive is that the head and the governors appear to be working really hard to ensure that there will be a suitable working environment when they return in January 2023 and for the children at Ballasalla School for many years to come.’

Ms Edge said in the House of Keys that the school, which has six classrooms, could take up to 170 students at a push, anticipating this may be the case in 2025.

‘Timing and progression of any new school development does depend on pace of development of an area,’ she said.

‘Portakabins and mobile classrooms are used in many of our schools and can be delivered quickly if there’s a requirement.’