CHILDREN living in Douglas and Onchan will not be able to choose their own secondary school if a new order is approved by Tynwald later this month.

Until now, 11 year olds have been able to choose for themselves whether to attend Ballakermeen or St Ninian’s high schools, but current analysis shows that there is an imbalance.

St Ninian’s Year 7 is predicted to be over-capacity whilst Ballakermeen is expected to have spare places.

The new order will remove the choice for 11 year olds, with the Department of Education in future making the decision about which primary school pupils will go to each secondary school.

Eddie Teare MHK, Minister for Education and Children, will lay the order before this month’s sitting of Tynwald.