PRIMARY parents have backed a campaign to get Scotland’s only state-funded single sex secondary school to admit boys.
A poll of families from the co-educational Notre Dame Primary, in the west end of Glasgow, overwhelming supported calls for a statutory consultation on changing the status of the girls-only secondary.
While there are still a number of private single sex schools in Scotland, Notre Dame High, a Catholic school founded in 1897, is the only remaining single sex comprehensive.
The survey, which saw 220 families or 86 per cent back a consultation, was organised by a sub group of the primary’s parent council.
It follows concern from families who have both sons and daughters at the school that when their offspring reach secondary age they will be unable to have them educated together.
Glasgow City Council has previously said opinion needs to be gathered from across the school community from all feeder primaries as well as the secondary.
Although parents from Notre Dame Primary are in favour of the secondary becoming co-educational there is still a strong interest in preserving its status from other groups, including Muslim parents and others from the Catholic community.
Niamh Breakey, a spokeswoman for the Notre Dame For All group who has three sons at the primary, said: “We are really pleased parents responded in such great numbers to our ballot and that such a large majority of families in our school expressed support for a consultation.
“These families want to have their say and are clearly affected in terms of not being able to have their sons and daughters educated together and with their peer group when they reach secondary.
“We understand that the council would like to know the views of parents in other schools and a formal council consultation would allow everyone to have their say."
A council spokeswoman said they would note the findings of the survey and continue a dialogue with parents from Notre Dame.
She added: “We are aware parents from the primary want to explore the possibility of the high school becoming a co-educational secondary school.
“Any changes need a statutory consultation with everyone who has an interest being able to express their views.
“Our officers are always happy to engage with parents, but any changes would affect parents from a number of schools and the views of all must be considered.”
The last time there was a challenge to the status of Notre Dame, one of the best performing in Glasgow, was in 1999 when a group of parents took legal advice on the issue. The education committee suggested a consultation, but it was rejected by the full council.
Currently, boys from Notre Dame Primary can go to Thomas Aquinas, in Scotstoun or John Paul Academy, in Summerston.
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