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Fee-paying Campbell College does not want neighbouring secondary to grow in size

Campbell College is a fee-paying, selective school
Campbell College is a fee-paying, selective school Campbell College is a fee-paying, selective school

A FEE-paying grammar school is opposing plans to allow a nearby secondary to grow - because it might impact on its own pupil numbers.

Almost 800 extra places are to be created across three state controlled post-primary schools in Belfast.

Proposals have been published for Ashfield Boys' High School, Belfast Model School for Girls and Belfast Boys' Model School.

It is hoped the two model schools will grow to 1,250 pupils while Ashfield will increase from 600 to 750.

There are only four state secondary schools remaining in the area served by the former Belfast board.

Most parts of the city have experienced upheaval in the last two decades. Orangefield, Forth River, Cairnmartin, Mount Gilbert, Dunlambert/Castle, Larkfield, Deramore and Balmoral secondary schools have all been merged and later shut.

A case for change supporting the Ashfield proposal said statistics demonstrated a growing demand for places in the school from 200 in the 1980s to 740 in recent years.

The increase would be "a great benefit to the school, pupils and east Belfast community", it said and added that it "fulfils an important role for a third of its pupils identified with special educational needs and just under half qualifying for free school meals".

Campbell College, a grammar school, expressed concern saying "the proposal will have an adverse effect to the detriment" of its school.

Children must sit unofficial 11-plus tests to win a place at Campbell, which also charges £2,630 in fees. The school is permitted to fill all its available places, irrespective of a child's 11-plus grade.

"Campbell College has submitted a proposal not to change the school’s enrolment but to fulfil it which it felt would not impose on neighbouring schools and feel that the Ashfield Boys’ proposal will have a direct adverse effect on its school," the case for change document said.

The governors of the Belfast Model School for Girls', meanwhile, said change was needed.

"The school is highly regarded within the local community as evidenced by the increasing demand for non selective, single sex education. This is the only school that provides this option in the north Belfast area," they said.

"The governors feel that this proposal to increase the admissions and enrolment numbers for the school will allow the school to grow and to continue to provide quality education for the girls of north Belfast and beyond."

And Belfast Boys’ Model School, a case for change said, was "held in high regard by the community and there is a desire for parents to enrol their children there".

Sufficient non-selective, controlled school places were needed "to serve the needs of the growing population of boys in the school’s catchment".