Plan to move Douglas C of E school

Co location plan for two primaries

Education chiefs have unveiled proposals to close an historic school in Douglas town centre, and move it to another location.  

St Thomas' Church of England primary opened in Finch Road in 1870 - but its facilities do not meet current standards, and the school is overcrowded.

Proposals to be outlined to parents next week would see St Thomas' move from its current site, where the playground is on top of a shop, to Scoill Vallajeelt in Saddlestone, set in a residential area of south Douglas.

It's suggested the co location would allow both schools to retain their names, identities, headteachers, staff and governors.

Classrooms at St Thomas' are spead over several floors, hampering flexible learning, with mobile classrooms also in use to accomodate the overspill.

With no outdoor green space at the current site, pupils are taken to the National Sports Centre for PE lessons.   

By contrast, Scoill Vallajeelt  which has a capacity of 350, has 192 registered for September 2017, meaning it can easily cope with the 72 St Thomas' pupils.

It has modern facilities, including a sports hall, dining room, open classroom spaces and a large playing field.

St Thomas' is the Island's only Church of England school, and education bosses say if their proposals are accepted, its distinct policies, procedures and systems, offering a C of E-oriented education, would continue.

Officers from the education department will meet parents at St Thomas' on Monday 19 June and at Scoill Vallajeelt on Wednesday 21st, both meetings at 4.30 pm.

The DEC says it aims to implement the move by the start of the 2018/19 academic year.