'Informal' cross-council Catholic school deal could end following review

Catholic primary school children in East Lothian’s biggest town could have the right to attend an RC high school in Midlothian withdrawn following a review.

Generations of youngsters from Loretto RC Primary School in Musselburgh have gone on to attend St Davids High School, in Dalkeith, under what has been described as an ‘informal’ agreement between education authorities.

However, a report to Midlothian Council next week reveals that the primary school is not in the catchment area for the secondary campus and never has been.

It also questions whether it ever was formally included and the reasons behind the inclusion of pupils in its rolls.

The report says that Loretto is the only primary school in East Lothian with a special arrangement in place allowing the council to put forward pupils every year for inclusion in St David’s school roll.

It says: “Under current arrangements, East Lothian Council each year provide to Midlothian Council a list of pupils who attend Loretto RC PS, and who they consider would be entitled to attend St David’s RC HS.

“This arrangement is specific to Loretto RC PS and does not extend to other Roman Catholic primary schools within East Lothian.”

It says officers looked back into archives to try and establish when the school became accepted as part of the secondary catchment area but failed to find any evidence of any agreement.

The report also says councillors must now decide whether to negotiate a new contract with East Lothian Council for future admissions or scrap the agreement all together.

It says: “Despite extensive research, the education authority has not identified any definitive records that clarify when the catchment area for St David’s RC HS was formally changed, nor has it found documentation outlining the legal or policy basis for the longstanding practice of admitting Loretto RC PS pupils.

“The education authority obtained legal advice from a King’s Counsel who advised that:, the status quo cannot continue and must be remedied, including conducting statutory consultations and, there is no formal or legal documentation that sets out the arrangement currently operating between Midlothian Council and East Lothian Council.”

Midlothian councillors will be asked to choose between two options moving forward at a meeting next week.

They include either entering a new agreement with East Lothian Council setting out the basis of admission, with the instruction that any arrangement does not disadvantage Midlothian children and promotes the Roman Catholic ethos of St David’s RC High School; or bringing any existing agreements or arrangements under which pupils from Loretto RC Primary School transfer to St David’s RC High School to an end from the August 2027 intake onwards.

The Catholic Church in Scotland has been asked for a comment.