MHK fears school could close without catchment review

Wed, 17 Jan 2018

Dhoon School

An MHK fears a school in her constituency could close if the Department for Education, Sport and Culture don't change the catchment area.

Garff MHK Daphne Caine believes Dhoon School should have a more open catchment after the number of children attending the school fell from 112 to 76 in four years, and is expected to be below 50 in September.

Speaking in this month's sitting of Tynwald, Education Minister Graham Cregeen confirmed catchment areas are reviewed every year for all schools on the Island.

Mrs Caine pressed for a review to be carried out urgently for Dhoon, fearing the school could close if class sizes don't increase, but Mr Cregeen insisted the review will take place annually.