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More Northern Ireland grammars may lose status
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Two schools face closure threat in major shake-up TWO more Catholic schools could be closed in the latest proposals for the reform of post-primary Catholic education in Northern Ireland.
St Peter’s High School on the Cityside and Immaculate Conception College in the Waterside area of Londonderry could shut as part of The Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE)’s plans for schools in the Derry area.
Both schools currently have just 231 and 238 pupils respectively.
Proposals published for the Derry City and North Derry areas are part of the commission’s radical review of post-primary education across Northern Ireland.
Three secondary schools in the North Derry area will also be affected by the proposals.
There is only one proposal for the Derry City project area and this involves the establishment of a ‘Derry City Foundation’.
The consultation document says that the foundation will build on the existing close relationships already developed between the schools.
The schools will be “strongly collaborative and mutually supportive, viable and sustainable 11-19 all-ability schools. Together they will provide for a long term enrolment of up to 7,000 young people.” The affected schools include grammars Lumen Christi College, Thornhill College and St Columb’s College.
The other non-selective schools in the area are St Brigid’s College, St Cecilia’s College, St Joseph’s Boys’ School and St Mary’s College.
The nine schools currently provide for just over 7,500 young people but have a capacity for 8,280.
The three secondary schools affected by the North Derry project are St Mary’s High School in Limavady, St Patrick’s College in Dungiven and St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College in Claudy, which educate around 1,600 pupils.
The proposal for the area is to have a “formal collaborative partnership of two 11-19 schools which between them shall provide an education for up to 1,600 pupils”.
It is suggested that these all-ability schools should be in Limavady and both will require significant capital investment.
It is hoped that the new school structures will lead to more pupils staying on past the age of 16.
All of the proposals are based on a key directive from NICCE that all Catholic grammars should stop using academic selection by 2012.
Controversial plans for other areas have already been published.
Announcements on proposals for Belfast schools will follow tomorrow. The consultation period for all of NICCE’s proposals ends on May 31.
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Comments
141 Comments
bill
"i only know children will be treated the same"
How do you know that?
"of course you may get children who would bully and they would be chastised"
Can you prove that Protestant children would be chastised for bullying Catholics?
"one thing you can be sure of your children will not be abused or allowed to be bullied"
Why should I be sure of that?
"if a protestant child went to an all catholic school prove to me he would not be picked on"
I cannot not. So we are wise to continue with segregated education
Posted by John O'Brien | 03.04.10, 18:52 GMT
I am a student of Assumption Grammar and I hate what Catriona Ruane is doing. I worked hard to get here and am proud of being a student there. Co-ed education won't work as well as it already does. Why can't it just stay the same?
Posted by Hannah | 02.04.10, 19:47 GMT
It is an ambiguous message, linking Catholic and sex. You must mean "Gender."Please write responsibly.
Posted by chris mooney | 02.04.10, 14:25 GMT
Fed up being walked over, nope didn't take you up wrong just being ironic.
Anne, the vast majority of parents have children in non-selective schools they are therefore the majority.
Unlike pro grammar apologists they do not however form part of the 'old boys/girls' establishment. No ex-head of the civil service is promoting their views and they have designed no coordinated write in campaign voicing one side of the debate about education. They are therefore aptly described as 'silent'.
Ergo 'Silent majority'
Glad to help Anne.
Posted by Exasperated | 02.04.10, 13:24 GMT
fed up of moaners
"you sound bigheaded"
Another person with a beaten argument resorting to personal insult.
"no one has to prove anything to you"
If you want integrated education, you will have to convince Catholics that it poses no threat to us.
"so fester away in your own bigoted world"
Thank you. Now please let Catholics do just that and stop trying to get power over defenceless Catholic children.
Posted by John O'Brien | 01.04.10, 23:50 GMT
phl
"All schools that are ran by tax payer funds must be total public with out any type of religion be taught as a faith.. All schools that teach religion faith must be private schools meeting the states requirements."
That might be your opinion but Catholics will decide who controls the education of Catholics. Thank you.
Posted by John O'Brien | 01.04.10, 23:46 GMT
Merry
"I say ban all church ownership of schools. Who in their right mind would want their child being within twenty feet of a priest these days anyway...? "
Please leave that to Catholics to decide. Thank you.
Posted by John O'Brien | 01.04.10, 23:38 GMT
North Down
"How about doing away with single religion schools while they are at it?"
No so long as there are parents who want them.
Posted by John O'Brien | 01.04.10, 23:35 GMT
"Exasperated" Sorry you may have picked my comments up wrongly I wasn't referring to the grammar schools rather the review committee!
I don't think the church is in any position to dictate to any one how and where their children are educated. Especially without including parents and school principles views,making schools with larger number of pupils is not a solution to any existing problems. They should sort out their current issues and leave education alone.
Posted by Fed up being walked over | 01.04.10, 23:19 GMT
Exasperated - the silent majority? You? If only...
Posted by Anne | 01.04.10, 23:15 GMT
john obrien you sound bigheaded ,no one has to prove anything to you, its logical to say people like yourself, are the acne of this world, no matter how much balm you put on ,they will never be cured, so fester away in your own bigoted world.
Posted by fed up of moaners | 31.03.10, 18:33 GMT
Our system was not perfect, but our little country always outperformed the mainland. So why the need for a change?? Why has Ruane been allowed to demolish a system that was working for the majority of children? As for comments about "dummies" to have an effective community we need to have abilities in all areas. There are no dummies just ignorant people who prefer to label the youth rather than aid them.
Posted by Nee-naw | 31.03.10, 18:31 GMT
All schools that are ran by tax payer funds must be total public with out any type of religion be taught as a faith.. All schools that teach religion faith must be private schools meeting the states requirements.
Posted by phl | 31.03.10, 16:33 GMT
funny two grammar schools in North Belfast one male the other female will not become co ed! wonder why not?
Posted by joe | 31.03.10, 15:57 GMT
Sinn Fein: a party which comprises of people who left school with no qualifications at the earliest opportunity and most never held down jobs during their glittering career with the IRA...are now in charge of education. So many psychological axes to grind. This is going to get interesting. Pass the popcorn.
Posted by Greg | 31.03.10, 15:52 GMT
john obrien ,you would appear to be a moron,but you are entitled to your opinion, nomatter how wrong, why do you not trail yourself into this century, we all either get along or sink, what would you rather do.
Posted by william | 31.03.10, 15:24 GMT
john obrien, what evidence would you need, i only know children will be treated the same, of course you may get children who would bully and they would be chastised ,you would get the same child in every religion, one thing you can be sure of your children will not be abused or allowed to be bullied, i ask you the same question if a protestant child went to an all catholic school prove to me he would not be picked on, its a stupid question is it not.
Posted by bill | 31.03.10, 15:19 GMT
I say ban all church ownership of schools. Who in their right mind would want their child being within twenty feet of a priest these days anyway...?
Brainwash your kids with religion at home, but keep it out of school.
Posted by Merry | 31.03.10, 14:26 GMT
Dear "Fed up being walked over" I agree with you, the arrogance of these grammar schools is breathtaking.
As the majority of parents have their children in 'secondary' schools, which are accused by the 'Association of Quality Education' (HA!) as providing an education inferior to their beloved grammar schools, it's about time we challenged the 'powers that be!'
For too long as you say a small minority have dictated educational policy in Northern Ireland. These apologists for grammar arrogance are now running scared and will loose their influence.
Have confidence and faith in the right of our position more and more are rejecting 'Academic Selection' we (the silent majority) WILL win in the end!
Posted by Exasperated | 31.03.10, 13:54 GMT
this is an absoulut disgrace i am a pupil from assumtion grammer i have worked hard to get were i am, i dnt want it to be ruined, think of the teen pregnancys and crime rates they will go up .
Posted by shannon l | 31.03.10, 13:42 GMT
141 Comments