Education chiefs have extended the period of secondary school choice for pupils at a Douglas primary school - and are to carry out a wider review of catchment areas.

Parents of children at Scoill yn Jubilee were angered earlier this year after they were told that their children would be expected to go to St Ninian’s High School in future rather than Ballakermeen High School.

The current year six cohort that will go to secondary in 2019-20 would be given the choice, they were told, and after that Scoill yn Jubilee would fall within the St Ninian’s catchment area.

But in the House of Keys this week Education Minister Graham Cregeen confirmed the choice would remain open for longer, while a fuller review of catchment areas took place.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture had been accused of being ’insensitive’ and underhanded at its initial handling of the changes and parents began a petition against them.

The decision was made in response to Ballakermeen being over-capacity while St Ninian’s pupil numbers were below the maximum limit.

In the House of Keys last week, as population projections for the two Douglas secondary schools were circulated, Mr Cregeen said: ’During the forthcoming year the department will be carrying out a larger piece of work on the catchment areas.

’The department has had meetings with the two secondary heads from Douglas. We will be having further meetings to discuss the Douglas catchment areas, in which we will look to encompass the whole of the Eastern Area Plan.’

That plan includes proposals for more housing in the eastern side of the island and department member Ann Corlett (Douglas Central) said that created a wider issue of secondary provision for the east of island.

The school population figures were originally due to be discussed last week, but a technical problem in the clerk of Tynwald’s office prevented their circulation.

Ballakermeen High School has 1,661 pupils on its roll this year. Its permanent capacity is 1,370. With no change in catchments, it is predicted to increase to 1,780 by 2023-24, but then come back down to 1,692 by 2025-26.

If the Scoill yn Jubilee catchment change went ahead, it is forecast that by 2025/26, the school population would be down to 1,467.

St Ninian’s High School, which a capacity of 1,600, currently has 1,214 on its roll and is predicted to remain largely static, with a gradual rise to 1,279 by 2024-25, but back down to 1,214 by 2025-26.

However, if the catchment change at Scoill yn Jubilee went ahead, it is predicted the population would increase to 1,467 by 2024-25, although dropping back down to 1,431 the following year.