CHILDREN are to find out whether they are attending a Paisley school by having their names drawn from an envelope.

Renfrewshire Council has confirmed St Andrew’s Academy is at capacity for pupils entering first year in August. 

This means youngsters who live in the catchment area but don’t currently attend an associated primary will be put into a ballot. 

Elected members have voiced concerns regarding the process, with two Paisley councillors worried about the prospect of pupils being split up from siblings who already attend the high school. 

The Gazette: St Charles Primary, in Rowan Street St Charles Primary, in Rowan Street

Councillor Will Mylet, who represents Paisley East and Central, said: “I’m concerned about kids being unsure about their future.

“I will be asking senior management about the possibility of kids being split up from their family members. 

“If the ballot doesn’t go their way you could have one kid going to one school and another going to a school on the other side of Paisley. 

“It’s a big transition for them and I just hope there’s enough time for them to have that. 

“We are now just a few months from finishing up and there are children who don’t know where they’re going. 

“Senior management said this has been in the making for three years but they didn’t see fit to let elected members know this was a potential issue. 

“With it being a PFI school, there’s not much we can do about expansion but i’m concerned that elected members weren’t notified on something that could have such an impact on children.”

The ballot process will involve a council officer – independent of the placing request process – folding the names of eligible children and placing them in a large envelope. As each successful name is drawn, it is noted on a ballot sheet.

Once the ballot is finished the officer signs a sheet, which is retained as a formal record of procedure. 

The running order of children who are unsuccessful is kept in the eventuality of further spaces becoming available. 

All pupils who attend St John Ogilvie or St Charles Primary Schools will be allocated a place, unless they are there as a result of a placing request. 

Councillor Eddie Devine, who represents Paisley Southeast, has been critical of the ballot process. 

He said: “It’s most certainly not the best way to do it. I’ve asked to see the council policy and I’ve asked to see what board it’s gone through, because as far as I can see it hasn’t gone through a board.

“They’re not burdening parents with information but parents need that information to see what’s going on. 

“As far as I’m aware every child that goes to Todholm [Primary School] wants to go to St Andrew’s. They will have brothers and sisters in that school. It’s going to split up families. 

“We should be looking to the future and trying to expand if St Andrew’s is that popular.

“It must’ve been very near the cut off last year so surely we as a council should have been looking at this.”

Renfrewshire Council said pupils who do not get a place at St Andrew’s can either attend Paisley Grammar School or make a placing request for another school in the local authority. 

The Gazette: Convener of Renfrewshire Council's Environment Policy Board, Eddie Devine

Cllr Eddie Devine 

A spokesman said: “Due to unprecedented demand, the maximum number of places in S1 at St Andrew’s Academy is oversubscribed.

“In line with our policy for school admissions, all pupils from the associated primary schools in the catchment area will be accommodated, but it is necessary for a ballot to take place for the remaining spaces which have arisen from placing requests from non-associated primaries.

“Pupils who are not allocated a place in the ballot can attend Paisley Grammar as their associated secondary school or make a placing request for one of our other schools.

“The ballot will be undertaken by a member of our internal audit team to ensure fairness and transparency, and parents will be notified of the outcome by the end of January.

“We are committed to providing the best teaching environment possible within all our schools to allow our children to reach their full potential, regardless of which school they attend, and ensuring a high-quality education remains a key priority of the council.”