NEW rules on school placing requests could come into force today.

Councillors on the education committee will meet this afternoon  to discuss proposals drawn up by Ruth Binks, the head of education.

Under the proposals, much of the policy on Admission and Pupil Placement in Mainstream Schools would remain in place, but following a consultation, two new rules have been drawn up on placing requests.

In the case of denominational schools, it is proposed that priority should be given to pupils who can ‘demonstrate an affinity with the religious ethos of the school’ and provide documentary evidence in the form of a certificate of baptism into the Catholic faith.

The other proposed change affects secondary school placing requests and would mean that priority would be given to children who attend a primary which is associated with the secondary.

Ms Binks’ report to councillors says: “Within the current policy, if a child attends a primary school as a result of a placing request for whatever reason, then that child is given no preference if they submit a placing request for the associated secondary school.

“In practice this means that a child who submits a placing request because they wish to change the denominational sector of their school at the point of transfer from primary to secondary can have priority over those who attended the associated primary school as the result of a placing request.

“This has meant in the past that classes and friendship grouping from associated primary schools have been split up because placing requests from pupils changing denomination have received priority.”

The change is aimed at giving priority to pupils who attend an associated school as a result of a placing request. This new rule was supported by 78 per cent of people who took part in a recent consultation.

In June last year, four mums, whose children attended All Saints Primary, said they were upset when their placing requests for Notre Dame High were refused by education chiefs.

The Tele highlighted their case and the council performed a u-turn by deciding that the children could follow the rest of their classmates to Notre Dame.