Education chiefs have been accused of acting in a ’thoughtless’ manner of their handling of a proposed switch in secondary school catchment areas for some Douglas primary pupils.

Parents of children at Scoill yn Jubilee in Douglas were told that their children will be expected to go to St Ninian’s High School in future, rather than Ballakermeen High School.

A statement issued by the Department of Education last week said the current year six cohort, due to move to secondary school in September, would have a choice as to which to join in 2019/20, but after that Scoill yn Jubilee would be within the St Ninian’s catchment.

However, in the House of Keys on Tuesday, Education Minister Graham Cregeen appeared to suggest that some choice may remain after 2019/20.

That came after he was criticised by Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East), who said: ’He and his department have acted in a perfunctory and thoughtless manner in this instance towards parents of children of this school.’

The ’insensitive’ behaviour of the department was reflective of a drift towards a ’centrist and controlling’ attitude, Mr Robertshaw claimed.

But Mr Cregeen rejected those criticisms. He said the catchment order to implement the change had been drawn up correctly and advance notice had been given, ahead of going before Tynwald next month.

St Ninian’s High School is based on two sites. The upper school is at the top of Ballaquayle Road, about 500 metres away from Scoill yn Jubilee, but the lower school is at Bemahague in Onchan.

Pupils go to Bemahague for the first three years of high school.

The announcement said there would be a ’joint catchment’ for both St Ninian’s and Ballakermeen for the next school year but after that Scoill yn Jubilee would be part of the St Ninian’s catchment.

However the minister told the Keys: ’This is going to be a joint catchment area for one year and we can assess whether this has dealt with the issue of overcapacity at Ballakermeen High School.’

Clare Bettison (Douglas East) pressed Mr Cregeen further.

She said: ’The minister has just said that the changes in 2019-20, as per the proposed catchment area order, will then test the ground as it was for 2020-21 and yet in the news release it said, "It WILL then become a catchment areaâ?¦"

’I just wonder why the word "will" was used when it would appear the minister is saying actually we may then move forward to a permanent change.’

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

But he warned: ’Unfortunately if this does not have the desired effect of giving people that choice to move to St Ninian’s, we will have to have that (catchment) order brought forward’

’The permanent capacity at St Ninian’s High School is 1,600 and their roll is only 1,200,’ he said. ’The permanent capacity at Ballakermeen High School is 1,370 and their roll is 1,644.

’We have an issue - we have to be financially responsible. If we do not do something regarding the catchment areas for this school then we will have further issues.’

There had been an increase in out-of-catchment requests for Ballakermeen, he said, and if action was not taken the government could be forced to incur costs to increase the schools capacity.

Parents at Scoill yn Jubilee have already begun a petition against the proposals and expressed concern at the extra travel their children may have to face. Some have accused the department of being ’underhanded’ in their handling of the issue.

The Isle of Man Examiner this week reported parents’ concerns about the issue.

They have launched a petition.