No first year enrolments at Clonmel school for next academic year

Clonmel’s only co- educational secondary school will not take enrolments for the next academic year.
In a shock statement this week, Tipperary Education and Training Board (TETB) announced that as part of a strategic review of Coláiste Chluain Meala, they will suspend enrolment of first years for 2020/21 with programmes for all other years continuing as normal.
It is understood that there were no first year enrolments for 2020/21 and only six enquiries about first year enrolments for next September.
TETB said it will embark on a programme to re-establish the school which has thirteen first years this academic year and a total of 105 pupils.

A Task Group involving all stakeholders (board of management, staff, parents and consultation with students)  with independent Chairperson Dr. Joe O’Connell who has extensive experience in school development will commence in January 2020.
The strategic plan will be presented to the ETB Board at its February meeting. 
The overall objective is to re-establish the school as a co-educational English medium school of choice in Clonmel, which will enrol first years in September 2021. 
Chief Executive of Tipperary ETB, Bernadette Cullen said - “Following detailed consideration of the situation, we believe that a full review of the school is essential.  This will lead to the development of a masterplan to reposition Coláiste Chluain Meala so that it continues to make the contribution we are fully confident it can to second level education in Clonmel.”
 Tipperary ETB has already met with staff, board of management and parents to outline the plan and will work with the Department of Education and Skills for the continued education of the current and future students in CCM. 
 The decision will have no impact on students in Gaelcholáiste Chéitinn or CTI Senior College, which are showing an increasing enrolment trend.
Colaiste Chluain Meala is located on the Raheen Road campus which opened in 1982.
A new principal John McCarthy was appointed in last August.
Gaelcholaiste Cheitinn was established in September 2004 and this year has twenty seven pupils in first year.

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