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Northern Ireland parties inch towards an agreed transfer solution
Now Executive may discuss it for first time in two years
Monday, 3 May 2010
Four of Northern Ireland’s main political parties are on the brink of agreeing a way to solve the long-running school transfer row in the hope of forcing the Executive to discuss it for the first time in nearly two-and-half years.
It is hoped the four-party talks which began in October— following the launch of the Belfast Telegraph’s Sit Down, Sort it Out campaign — will come up with a consensus by the end of this month or the beginning of June.
The parties — the SDLP, UUP, DUP and Alliance — will then watch with interest to see the response from Sinn Fein Education Minister Caitriona Ruane whose party has refused to take part in talks despite an open invitation.
They are intending to force a discussion on their agreed way forward, when it is published, at an Executive meeting — even though the matter has not been put before one in over two years.
The Sit Down, Sort It Out campaign launched a petition last September calling on Northern Ireland’s political leaders to sort out the school transfer crisis amid a long-running stalemate over the best replacement for the now abolished 11-Plus.
The major campaign urged the Executive to come to an agreement on the way forward in time for this year’s P6 pupils to transfer to post-primary schools in 2011.
Seven months after four parties began talks off the back of the campaign, the Belfast Telegraph has put five questions to each of the five main political parties on what progress was being made.
Trevor Lunn, Alliance Party education spokesman, said a “greater understanding of everyone’s point of view” had been reached.
“But we have not cracked the nut so far on an agreed transfer process,” he added.
However, as Ulster Unionist Basil McCrea pointed out, the question will then be how Sinn Fein reacts to any proposals brought forward. Any proposed solution is likely to have to go through the Executive.
In their replies, the SDLP, UUP, DUP and Alliance Party all criticise Sinn Fein for refusing to engage with the other parties on the issue.
The SDLP’s Dominic Bradley warned that academic selection “will not be ended by intransigence” and said Ms Ruane was now an obstacle to ending it.
Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd said he hoped all schools will “move away from a system which has no proven educational benefit”.
Brendan Harron, from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, called for schools using their own entrance tests to instead follow Caitriona Ruane’s guidance.
“The grammar schools currently cater well for 40% of children but going all-ability would mean they could serve all children well,” he said.
“The current situation is definitely causing uncertainty for primary schools. They don’t know whether to prepare children for tests or not. The unregulated system is unfortunate but this is happening because some schools are persisting with elitist tests.”
Ms Ruane is strongly against academic selection and has warned grammar schools against using it as a key transfer criteria.
But many children moving schools in September were forced to sit a number of unregulated tests after many grammar schools decided to use academic selection against the minister’s wishes.
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Brendan Harron from INTO - some Primary level Maths would tell you that Grammar schools do not have places for ALL the children so how do you propose that they serve all children well. You are however close to the point here. All schools are NOT good schools yet and until they are parents with aspirations for their children will choose grammar schools with proven track records over failing secondary schools. Where there are decent secondaries available there won't be a problem but this is not currently the case in all areas.
Posted by Anne | 11.05.10, 19:56 GMT
There is major difference between whether academic selection is unfair and whether 11+ is unfair. If 11+ is unfair, then alternative methods of academic selection should've been seeked, like the way GCSEs and A-levels have developed modular papers, so even if a child does badly in one paper, s/he has another opportunity to do well in another one.
Also, you have to note that religion and political views are more sensitive issues in Northern Ireland than in England. Academic selection is only neutral method to select a pupil against those factors.
In the end, children will have to sit GCSEs in the future, so although academic selection may sound brutal, it is inevitable.
Posted by Owens | 09.05.10, 11:42 GMT
p7 mum, just because other western countries don't have academic selection doesn't mean WE shouldn't have it.
England doesn't have it and we beat them in public exam results every year. And indeed, a report was published recently saying that England's remaining grammar schools have more social diversity than their comprehensives.
All children are not equal, it's not that the more intelligent children are "better", it's just that different children have different strengths.
Posted by david | 07.05.10, 18:50 GMT
Exasperated | 05.05.10, 11:25 GMT
As a committed constructivist superannuated socialist you garner more support for academic selection, grammar schools and equality of opportunity with every post. Keep up your foolish efforts - it saves pupils from being exposed to your hypocrisy while you peck away at the keyboard.
Unintended consequences are wonderful. Even David Cameron has admitted he got it wrong on grammar schools - are you simply a slow learner?
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 06.05.10, 08:49 GMT
Steve 73......
"the poorest members of society can still go to the best schools not because of what mummy and daddy earn"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
Posted by Exasperated | 05.05.10, 11:25 GMT
I also am a P7 mum and I am glad my daughter had the chance to try for a place in our local grammar school. I do not agree with bringing in a comprehensive system which just tries to make one size fit all, I feel that a bit of competition does children no harm and to merely tell them they can all do the same is a lie which will catch up with them later in life. Our education system needs a good clean up with schools which are underachieving brought to task and given the most help to improve and at the moment those schools are not the grammars which are outperforming the rest of the UK. Fix what needs fixing and leave the best schools alone. I have another child in P5 and would love it if a state test came back into being so long as it wasn't doctored to edge us towards an all for one system.
Posted by rm | 04.05.10, 18:25 GMT
Im not sure whether P7 mum is announcing her age, or the age of her children. She clearly has no idea of the state of many of the education systems in parts of western europe.
We have a system where the poorest members of society can still go to the best schools not because of what mummy and daddy earn but their ability.
Posted by Steve73 | 04.05.10, 00:20 GMT
So what is this agreed way forward? No one was "forced to sit a number of unregulated tests" as claimed by the B.Telegraph reporter. The tests are voluntary and the system was deregulated thanks to spineless politicians who failed to stand up to the Minister's removal of parental choice. No doubt parents will bear this in mind on Thursday when they vote for representation at Westminster. Since education is a devolved matter it illustrates the ineffectiveness of Stormont. How could any party opposed to the removal of academic selection "on principle" come to accept a diktat unless they put power and elitism before education choice for parents? The BT campaign has not sorted anything out - it has simply given a platform for politicians and union officials priority over parental rights - some campaign. The AQE tests will be available in the autumn, the GL Assessment tests are a waste of time. The Minister's plan has backfired. Academic selection is now free from DENI interference
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 03.05.10, 21:48 GMT
Most parties refused to engage with Ruane before she scrapped the transfer test and are now bitching as they had no say!
The system is out of date, biased and unhelpful to those most in need of a good education.
Keep going Catriona, bring NI in line with every other western country - who don't have this test and yet manage to turn out reasonably well educated students.
Integrated, all ability, co-ed is the future.
Posted by p7 mum | 03.05.10, 19:45 GMT
"A system which has no proven educational benefit”? I don't know where John O’Dowd ubtained his figured from, but I have read, year after year, about Northern Ireland leading the UK league for top examination results.
As our American friends would say, "If it ain't broken, don't fix it"! Put the 11 plus back and sack Ruane.
Posted by Centaur | 03.05.10, 18:04 GMT
Can someone explain to me why academic selection is considered a undesirable?
People are born with differing abilities, whether intellectual or practical; to pretend otherwise for ideological reasons is to deny reality.
Having classes of mixed ability, whether those classes are of a practical or academic nature, only serves to hold back the more able and drag all the pupils down to mediocrity.
There is a reason why NI grammar schools have continued to outperform most British schools: academic selection works.
Posted by Daniel | 03.05.10, 14:47 GMT
ruane cares nothing for what majority on both sides want
Posted by w.gould2 | 03.05.10, 11:02 GMT