Consultation on Catholic schools shake up

The Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education has published its consultation document containing options for the future provision of post-primary education in the County Antrim area.

Cross and Passion College in Ballycastle is included in the scheme along with four other schools in the county - St Killian's College, Carnlough; St Louis' Grammar School, Ballymena, St Patrick's College, Ballymena and St Benedict's College, Randalstown.

There are currently 3,525 pupils in the five schools which have a capacity for 3,770 pupils. It is expected there will need to be places for approximately 3,200 - 3,400 pupils by 2018.

Under the proposals the five co-educational schools schools would work together in a range of areas including:

- curriculum provision

- developing an agreed admissions policy

- pastoral care

- ethos development

- sharing of staff

- staff appointments

- continuous professional development

- uses of resources

Under the proposals Cross and Passion College would remain as an 11-19 co-educational school to serve pupils from Ballycastle and the surrounding area.

St Killian's would have the same status to serve those from the Glens and East Antrim area.

There are two options under consideration for the Antrim, Ballymena and Randalstown area.

The first is that St Patrick's becomes an 11-14 school as does St Benedict's with St Louis' Grammar catering for 14-19 year olds.

The second is that St Patrick's is an 11-14 school and St Louis' again is for those 14-19 but St Benedict's College is an 11-19 school.

The options have been developed in consultation with local grammar and maintained schools' principals, governors and Trustees.

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," he said.

"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.

Speaking at St Catherine's College, Armagh, 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."

North Antrim Sinn Fin MLA Daith McKay welcomed the Catholic Education For All review which is proposing the end of the use of academic selection in Catholic secondary schools in north Antrim.

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.

"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.

"I am also mindful of the fact that it is Protestant children from lower income families who are affected worst of all by academic selection in North Antrim. 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."

Copies of the consultation 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.

The consultation document details 'far reaching challenges' including significant changes made to the curriculum, their policy of gradually moving away from academic selection at age 11, increasing the number of subjects available, increasing the number of surplus places and the introduction of area based planning of education provision.

It also touches on the Sustainable Schools policy which indicates that post-primary schools should operate with a minimum of 500 pupils at 11-16 and 100 at post-16.

The consultation period will remain open until 31 May 2010.

Proposals potentially affecting Our Lady of Lourdes are due to be published shortly.