School's money offer to parents

The school is understood to have dwindling numbers

The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools has criticised a Belfast school which is offering money to parents who enrol their children there.

The council said it wants to know where St Gemma's Girls Catholic Secondary School is going to get the money from.

The school has declining numbers and has offered £150 to parents who decide to send children there next year.

The Council said offering such an incentive could have an impact on neighbouring schools.

It said it was asking its officers to check where the funding was coming from and that it was not being taken from money which should be spent on teaching.

It is understood the number of pupils who are likely to start the school in September is low.

The council said it could only intervene if official funding was being spent improperly.

No spokesperson for the school was available for comment.