Education officers met parents and carers of children from St Thomas’s School and Scoill Vallajeelt last week to discuss a proposal for the schools to both share the same site.

The Department of Education and Children earlier this month announced plans for St Thomas’s School, in the centre of the capital, to move to Scoill Vallajeelt, which is on the outskirts.

Meetings were held at both school sites last week.

A DEC spokesman said: ’The meetings with parents and carers of pupils at St Thomas’ CE school and Scoill Vallajeelt about the proposed co-location of the two schools took place on Monday, June 19 and Wednesday, June 21.

’Officers from the department laid out the rationale for the proposal and answered questions about how it would be facilitated.

’Representatives of the Church and the two head teachers were also present to answer questions from their perspectives.’

The spokesman added: ’At both meetings, there was a mix of views among parents/carers and some constructive ideas were suggested that will be put before political members.

’It was heartening that the experience of pupils was at the forefront of everyone’s minds and that the school communities placed such value on the ethos and traditions of their respective schools.’

If the schools were to co-locate, both would retain their names, identities, head teachers, teachers and governors.

It is envisaged the move would take place in time for the start of the 2018/19 academic year.