Statement from Educate Together on the North Wicklow Secondary School

Educate Together seeks to correct reports which suggest that the enrolment policy for the new Educate Together secondary school for North Wicklow has been agreed. The enrolment policy for the new school, which will open in 2016, is currently being drawn up, and will only be finalised following consultation with local groups and interested parties.

Any patron opening a new school is subject to Department of Education and Skills stipulations that the school should meet local demographic need. In the case of the North Wicklow school, the Department report names the feeder areas of Bray, Kilternan and Ballybrack/Kilternan, but also says the school “would provide greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage in the feeder area and in the wider region”. Educate Together is currently seeking clarification from the Department of Education and Skills as to the specific requirements this places on the patron. The enrolment policy for the school will not be finalised until this clarification is obtained, and after local consultation. This consultation is expected to begin before the end of the month.

Speaking about the issue, Emer Nowlan, Chief Operating Officer with Educate Together, said: “We understand that parents in the area are anxious to learn what arrangements for the new school will be, and we hope that people will engage with the consultation. The enrolment policy will take account of the views expressed, as well as Department requirements."