Parents are being reminded that their children should attend school in the catchment area in which they live. The Department recently published a new Catchment Area Order. Primary catchment areas are geographic, with the primary school a child attends then usually dictating which secondary school he/she will attend. There are two exceptions. The first is when an older sibling already attends a school outside the catchment area (for example because he/she was enrolled there prior to a house move). The secondary school is then expected to admit younger siblings. The second is when children go to primary school outside their catchment area. They are expected to return to the catchment area to attend secondary school. Before the introduction of the new Catchment Area Order, primary pupils in the Douglas area had the choice of attending Ballakermeen High School and St Ninian’s High School. The order now prescribes which one they will attend. The change came about when an analysis of predicted pupils numbers showed Year 7 at St Ninian’s could soon be over-capacity while Ballakermeen would have spare places. Eddie Teare MHK, Minister for Education and Children, said there was a similar concern in other parts of the Island. Schools carry out their own admissions and headteachers are within their rights to refuse a child admission if he/she does not live in the catchment area. ‘Schools were planned to serve the areas they are located in and it’s not economic that some schools have room on their rolls while others are at full capacity,’ Mr Teare said. Any parent unsure of which catchment area they live in can consult the Order via http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/education//catchmentareasorder2010.pdf or phone the Department on 685820. Parents of children who turn five in the school year commencing 6 September 2011 are urged to register them for school as soon as possible, if they haven’t done so already, to assist schools’ planning. Ends