Catholic schools to face major changes

The Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education says that the options up for debate have been developed in consultation with local grammar and maintained schools principals, governors and Trustees.

Schools affected in the local area are St. Patrick’s College, Ballymena and St. Benedicts, Randalstown which may become ‘feeder’ schools catering for the 11-14 age group and St. Louis, Ballymena, to which all pupils will transfer for completion of their secondary education.

A secondary option would see St. Benedict’s retain its status as an 11-19 age range school.

The proposals have been welcomed by North Antrim SDLP Assemblyman, Declan O’Loan, himself a former teacher who said the Catholic Commission’s plans were broadly in line with SDLP thinking.

He said: “Our direction of travel is the same but more work is needed on the roadmap. The SDLP wants to see a situation in which post-primary schools become all-ability schools but we must have a structured transition from selection.

“The big decisions needed to make the transition work will need to taken at local level, where loyalty to particular schools is naturally strong. We need to ensure we have a schools estate that meets local requirements.

“That’s why it is important for parents to take part in the consultation process being organised by the Commission. Many will be seeking reassurance that the change to a non-selective system will not lead to lowering of academic standards but we do not believe this should be the case. It should be noted that grammar schools which become non-selective can still maintain their grammar-school status.

“In the end of the day we need public policy to apply to all sectors and to all schools and we need to agree a system which achieves this goal. The Commission’s proposals will have a better chance of success if there is no parallel selective system elsewhere. Our immediate problem is unregulated tests and we believe that the short-term use of a CCEA test would help to achieve an orderly and structured transition for the whole post-primary system

There was a warm welcome, too, for the Catholic Education For All review from his North Antrim SF counterpart, Daithi McKay.

Under the proposals St Louis’ Grammar school would become a new 14-19 school and St Patricks would become a ‘junior’ school for 11-14 year olds.

Mr McKay, a former pupil at St Louis, said: “The future of post-primary education in Ballymena will not be based on academic selection which is unfair, out of date and out of step with the needs of modern society and more importantly the needs of our children.

“Sinn Fin has been the only party who have consistently opposed the 11+ and re-introduction of the 11+ which the SDLP now supports. We have not wavered from that position because it is the right thing to do.

“The vision for post-primary education without academic selection that has been outlined for St. Patricks and St. Louis is one that Sinn Fin supports and I think people will clearly see now that the position of the Minister on academic selection has been entirely justified in the face of some vicious and quite personal attacks from political opponents.

“It doesn’t make economic sense to have so many empty seats in our classrooms. There needs to be a degree of rationalisation to ensure that money is not being wasted unnecessarily and is being steered toward the delivery of a quality education instead,” said Mr McKay.

“This new system for Catholic schools in Ballymena will thereby remove the necessity for transfer tests. It is of course a provisional proposal and will be out for public consultation so I would urge all parents to take the opportunity to respond to that.

“Parents will also be reassured that the high educational standards found in Catholic schools will not in any way be reduced in a non-selective system. The quality of teaching and leadership in our schools determines how their children progress, not the narrow definition of the type of school”.

Mr McKay said he was also mindful of the fact that Protestant children from lower income families are affected worst of all by academic selection in North Antrim.

He said: “The Catholic Church is aiming to outlaw academic selection from its schools by 2012 but it is equally as important that those in the controlled sector can participate in an education system which is based on fairness and equality and does not involve unnecessary (and costly) division.”

Gerry Lundy, Director of the Post -primary Review, said: “The post-primary sector faces a number of significant challenges including declining demographics, the debate over the ending of academic selection, changes in the curriculum as well as the development of area-based planning. This consultation, which is the biggest ever undertaken by Catholic Trustees in Northern Ireland, includes options which will help address these challenges.”

He urged all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, pupils and all those with an interest in the long-term provision of education in the Co Antrim area to respond to the consultation.

“This document outlines the options which the Commission would ask the local community to consider. This is an opportunity for all those interested in post-primary education to have their say and it is vital that we receive as much feedback as possible. We welcome views and considerations on our options or any other options or proposals which might address the challenges facing post-primary education.

“Once completed the outcome of the consultation will be shared with our schools and their communities as well as the Department of Education and other education stakeholders,” he added.

The publication of these options follows the launch of the document ‘Catholic Education for All: Shaping the future of Post Primary Education’ by Cardinal San Brady.

He said: “This is an initial consultation and an inclusive consultation. The Catholic Trustees want to explore with stakeholders, including other school providers, how we can co-operate in new and creative ways to provide the best possible education for every child. The decisions we reach at the conclusion of this consultation process will shape the delivery of Catholic education in Northern Ireland and I would urge everyone with an interest to respond.”

Copies of this document will be shortly available through local Catholic managed post-primary and primary schools. It can also be downloaded at www.pprce.org. A parallel consultation with post-primary school students will also take place.