DUP Welcome Provision Of Additional School Places

The DUP has welcomed an announcement by the Department of Education that additional school places will be provided to both Bangor Academy and Strangford Integrated College.

Strangford MLA Peter Weir was part of a DUP delegation which met with the Department last week to discuss the problems facing parents and children in the area who had not been offered a place at a single school of their choice.

The DUP MLA said: "I strongly welcome the decisions of the Department of Education to approve the Temporary Variations applications for 40 additional places at Bangor Academy and 19 additional places at Strangford Integrated College. This will greatly ease the pressures in the North Down and Strangford areas, and come as a great relief to many families who have been left with much worry and disappointment.

"The Department has operated within policy but shown they were willing to listen to our concerns, and to show flexibility and common sense in implementing policy and arriving at this policy. Due to the complex way that school places are allocated this will still take some time to fully roll out, and some parents may still be left with problems. Along with colleagues I will work with parents until we have everything resolved, and there need to be further work done, possibly involving other local schools, but nevertheless this is a tremendous and positive step forward which will go a long way to resolution."

(MH/LM)