Catholic school catchment plans

Catchment areas could be introduced to avoid travel costs

Catchment areas are being considered around the four Roman Catholic primary schools in the Scottish Borders.

A consultation exercise is planned on a proposal that the schools use the same catchment zones as local secondaries.

The four schools, in Galashiels, Hawick, Peebles and Selkirk, currently have no such areas designated.

Councillors have voiced concerns that the authority could be obliged to pay for pupil transport from any part of the region to any one of the schools.

If the plan is adopted the education department will still have discretion to allow youngsters outside the areas to attend - if there is a place

Expert advice

However, it would mean no obligation to pay for or provide transport out of the catchment zone.

The council has previously sought legal advice over the provision of free transport to denominational schools.

Director of Education Glenn Rodger said that the authority had been told the introduction of catchment areas was the way forward.

"We have had expert advice on the way ahead from counsel and the advice is that is what we should do," he said.

The Catholic Church in Scotland has previously warned that the authority would find it was legally obliged to provide such transport.