Concern over provision of schooling for Controlled pupils

Since the merger of the two schools, the Entitlement Framework and Area-based Planning have been introduced.

The Entitlement Framework requires schools to offer 24 courses at Key Stage 4 and 27 courses at 16-19. Area-based planning aims at the more economic delivery of education.

To facilitate both of these aims Learning Partnerships or Communities have been established and these aim to co-ordinate the delivery of education at keyStage 4 and at 16-19 within a local community in such a way that the aims of the Entitlement Curriculum and Area-based Planning are delivered. In the current economic climate there seems a clear rationale. However, in the roll-out of the schemes, the Ulster Unionist Party is concerned that there is not a level playing field in Londonderry for pupils, parents or teaching and ancillary staff within the unionist community who depend on controlled schooling which has a distinct ethos.

Trends

Demographic trends and economic cutbacks are affecting the capacity of controlled schooling to meet the requirements of the Entitlement Framework or Area-based Planning in Londonderry.

In order to meet the requirements of the Entitlement Framework school managers within controlled schooling are having to place their pupils in other schools, as their only option, within the Learning Community to satisfy subject choices as defined within the statutory legislation.

Whilst relations are for the most part productive, pupils from controlled schools are left with the only option of going to a school to further their education which has a different ethos to that which they chose in the first instance and is likely to be located in an area of the city with which they would have at best only a fleeting familiarity.

In a normal society this might not be an issue but in a city like Londonderry which remains a community in transition wherein community relations are at times problematic, there is evidence that the situation is influencing and narrowing the choice of some pupils and in so doing becomes an equality issue which must be addressed. It also serves to support the view that shared education cannot happen in isolation and needs to be supported by social and political initiatives

The situation is being exacerbated by proposals for Catholic Education in the city.

Under these proposals it would seem that Maintained Secondary Schools in Londonderry and surrounding area will operate as federations capable of meeting the requirements of the Entitlement Framework and Area-based Planning within the Catholic ethos.

Unlike pupils in controlled education, pupils in Maintained Schools will not have to attend a school whose ethos is different to the one for which they opted at age 11. Transfer of pupils is therefore likely to be one way.

As pupils in controlled schools reduce, then staff will be made redundant and this will in turn affect a school's capacity to deliver the curriculum which will force more pupils to leave and any controlled school affected will go into a downward spiral.

This will have a detrimental influence on the provision of high quality pupil-centred education in the school affected and the controlled ethos will be under threat

The situation as it is unfolding is inherently unequal and the 'playing field is far from level'.

Assessment

An Equality Impact Assessment is required on the effects in the immediate situation of the Entitlement Framework and Area-based planning on staff, parents and staff involved in controlled schooling in Londonderry

On 16 November 2009 the Minister for Education speaking in the Assembly said that

'The Entitlement Framework will guarantee all young people, aged 14 and above, greater choice and flexibility by providing them with access to a wide range of learning opportunities suited to their needs, aptitudes and interests.'

The situation on the ground in Londonderry is likely to prove otherwise.

The Minister also spoke of 'fairness and equality' but in failing to address and allow for the continuing transitional nature of building a ' shared future' pupils in controlled schooling in Londonderry are likely, in reality, to experience more limited choices.

Area -based planning the objective of which is explained as providing ' a system of strong sustainable educational facilities' could, when set alongside proposals for Catholic Education, result in sustaining only one system which embraces one particular ethos.

The Unionist Association will be writing to the Minister, and the Western Education and Library Board to raise its concerns.

The Association is not opposed to collaboration but it is opposed to inequality and the denial of equal opportunity to pupils from the broader unionist community.

It is also a concern that this is yet one more consequence of the Minister's piecemeal and narrow approach to education.

The irony cannot be lost that in seeking to initiate and direct 'collaboration' this is a word and process that does not seem to exist in her vocabulary or in her politics.

A further irony is that the pupils most likely to be affected are those for whom the minister would claim to be a champion.

Many will be the first in their family to attend university. Many will have either opted out at 11+ or failed to achieve the grade which would have enabled them to gain a place at grammar school.

Allied to the ' under-achievement' of Protestant boys in the city and the inequality which is likely to flow from the Minister's plans, the unionist population whose children for the most part attend controlled schools, have cause to be concerned.