In a press release on the NICIE web site, posted June 6th, a headline claim for “an alternative model to academic selection” appears.
The author, Barry Corrigan, a VP at Carryduff IPS and chair of the Integrated Education Teachers’ Committee attacks the decision to offer entrance exams for grammar schools.
His alternative is simply the enforcement, against the stated wishes of the majority of parents, teachers, pupils and the general public, of comprehensive schooling and the destruction of the grammar school system.
It is unfortunate that Mr Corrigan’s alternative, despite the usual richness of rhetoric, is missing the detail of exactly how standards of teaching and objectively measured attainment has improved in integrated or other schools. Perhaps more importantly he gives no detail on how transfer at 11 is to be achieved. In that vein he joins the host of educationalists big on vision but blind to the detail. Perhaps he remains unaware of the absolute chaos introduced into schools by the introduction of the CCEA revised curriculum. The Pupil Profile Mr Corrigan and fellow teachers produce for parents is a flawed instrument designed to paint all pupils as successful even when they have not be taught basic numeracy and literacy to a satisfactory standard Perhaps if he spent more time reading the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report or the Northern Ireland Audit Office Report on the £40 million waste of public money spend on a failed strategy and shifting targets he could contribute usefully to the debate. Instead of simply parrotting the same tired old nonsense about equality of results and the 21st Century vision of a group of failed ideologues and hangers-on. His political support for the Minister for Education’s discriminatory diktat and comprehensive policy is worthy of some closer examination by parents.
The biggest deceit Mr Corrigan perpetrates is his failure to admit that the Integrated Sector is an avid fan of academic selection. Perhaps he should address the fundamental issue of his organisation’s stance when two of the most well known integrated schools, Lagan and Slemish both use academic selection to admit pupils. Maybe he should start with the NICIE Chief Executive, Michael Wardlow, who has a keen personal preference for grammar schools.
Mr Corrigan should stick to the job they are employed to do – teaching children. Their failure to welcome or permit measurement of their claimed teaching success by objective methods continues to undermine parental support for or confidence in teachers.
Of course this will not bother Mr Corrigan much right now; He and his teacher friends will all be off work for the next two moths. Parents and pupils have no such escape from the Minister’s education chaos.
His attack on AQEand Sir Kenneth Bloomfield may be entirely warranted since they represent less than half of grammar schools but to attack the principle of academic selection is another issue, in which Mr Corrigan and his group represent a well funded but consensus poor minority.
The Integrated Sector will always be the Sony Betamax of education providers. The market moves on Mr Corrigan.
Not in Our Name please Bishops
June 26, 2008
The statement from the Northern Ireland Catholic Bishops makes it clear and unequivocal that Sir Kenneth Bloomfield was misinformed and misguided to suggest that Catholic grammar schools would be rallying under his AQE flag.
The Bishop’s statement contains the following:
We wish to state our clear opposition to the introduction of independent academic assessment tools by schools as a temporary or future means of pupil selection.
Sorry Sir Ken; no chance of Catholic grammars joining you with the CEA but thanks for all your help in adding to the chaos and confusion. The Catholic Bishops have made it perfectly clear all along that they were behind the rejection of academic selection in their schools despite having reaped the benefits for years.
Change should be implemented in a way which is sensitive to the practical needs of teachers and schools. This may require reasonable time for transition to new processes and structures.
Of course the Bishops fail to mention parents and pupils; neglecting their pledge of social justice and concern for the views of the child. No voice for the poor but no matter; ”the poor will always be with us”
Indeed the Bishops seem to have neglected the needs and wishes of their non-Catholic neighbours entirely.
It must be stated:
The Catholic Church and its followers are perfectly entitled to their “superior” system of education ethos.
They do not however enjoy any right to impose such a system upon others.
If the Minister for Education’s vision is shared by the Catholic Church and vice versa so be it but dissenters are permitted by law to choose another way. Give parents and children the right to choose. For those who believe in equality of opportunity then the path is clear. Other members of the family of schools must stand up for themselves and refuse to be bullied by the big brother with the crozier or the petulant little sister with a menacing attitude.
On the little matter of the Governing Bodies Association (GBA) today’s statement means the end. Sir Kenneth Bloomfield and Wilfred Mulryne must resign or risk further ridicule.
A practical valid and reliable solution on the 11-plus
June 26, 2008
Given the impasse created as a consequence of one political party Minister attempting to undemocratically impose comprehensive schooling upon Northern Ireland on behalf of a cadre of unelected, unaccountable, unconvincing educationalists (there’s an oxymoron if ever there was one) a simple practical solution to the problem presents itself.
The current 11-plus is simply renamed or rebranded. No other change required. This should happen in much the same way that academic and vocational subjects became general and applied or the enriched curriculum merged into the revised curriculum which became the Northern Ireland curriculum (but only until an edict is issued directing a change to “north of ireland”).
The fact remains that the 11-plus works. No doubt about it. The absence of legal challenge from those expert in issuing proceedings on all things educational proves the point.
So, to avoid further torture of the pupils, anxiety for parents and the floods of crocodile tears and hand-wringing from teachers and politicans just come up with a new moniker and get on with teaching in schools. With apologies to the famous 7-Up ad it must be said of the 11-plus ” always had it, always will”.
If any of the bright spark educationalists (Tony Gallagher, Wilfred Mulryne, Gavin Boyd, Jim Clarke, Aux Bishop Donal McKeown, Sir Kenneth Bloomfiel, Carmel Gallagher, Carol McGuinness, Laura Lundy, Uel McCrea, Frank Bunting, Avril Hall-Callaghan etc.) wish to challenge the international standards met by the DENI/CCEA/NFER 11-plus which were designed to protect children from rubbish assessments, and are met by the current transfer test they could start by putting effort into a legal action. No doubt the Catholic Church, Sinn Fein, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, SDLP, Alliance, the US Consul, GBA, AQE will be only too happy to contribute.
The clock starts now. In the meantime start work on the re-branding exercise but leave the acronym CEA out of it. You have 3 months to answer this question before the chaos starts in earnest. Parents want an assessment of your learning
Teacher? – Absent Sir
June 25, 2008
How more outrageous and arrogant can the teaching profession in Northern Ireland become? On the heel of shocking revelations over thousands of retired and redundant teachers displacing their newly qualified colleagues comes news on teachers’ appalling sickness records.
As usual the blame from these so-called professionals’ poor performance is displaced onto the DENI or more cynically onto the parents and pupils.
Michelle McIlveen of the DUP misses the point about the answer entirely. Teachers take the time off because they can. There is no accountability because teachers are treated like some delicate commodity unable to withstand public scrutiny. They are paid generously from what they must believe is a bottomless pit of public money. The N.I. Assembly should introduce into legislation a scheme whereby incentives are paid to teachers who attend (perhaps a certificate) and withhold payment from the no-shows. What sort of example does this absenteeism send to pupils except to reinforce a “sickie” culture.? Perhaps Michelle McIlveen’s next question to the Assembly needs to be: “How many teachers were sacked by employers in the last five years due to poor attendance records?”
Frank Bunting, the INTO representative who never seems to be out of the media, threatens the public that it could be much worse. As usual his hyperbole is about extracting more money and concessions out of the taxpayer. It does not assist when MLAs assist in perpetuating the poor performance of teachers by their misinterpreting of answers. The teachers and their unions are overrepresented in Stormont and feed information through favoured political representatives willing to act like their pets.
One can only imagine the chaos in the health service if doctors and dentists adopted the same practices as teachers?
Perhaps Mr Bunting and his teaching union colleagues should abandon their failed campaign to introduce comprehensive education against the wishes of the majority of the public. Initiatives such as the Pupil Profile, Assessment for Learning and the Revised Curriculum are the very thing Mr Bunting complains about. Teachers permit their varied professional views be expressed by union leaders. When will they learn public accountability?
Perhaps then Bunting’s members could return to schools after their lengthy summer break prepared to do the job they are employed to do- teach.
Where do David Cameron and Michael Gove really stand?
June 24, 2008
In Northern Ireland Sinn Fein and the SDLP are absolutely against academic selection and the 11-plus. Following the lead of the Catholic Church in Northern Ireland it seems those linked to Catholic influences in the Conservative Party may have prompted David Cameron to have followed suit. What else can explain David Cameron’s untimely shift in policy? Certainly not the evidence on the academic performance and behavioural ethos of grammars. Hardly the success of the city acadamies, the Tory’s latest policy flop .
Evidence from the Conservatives YouGov recent poll supports the hypothesis that rejection of academic selection and the 11-plus in Northern Ireland are a disguised attack on the Protestant world view. Even the Alliance party- supporters of integrated education, largely reject the Sinn Fein minister’s proposals. Many Alliance supporters are garden center Protestants who would die rather than give offence but they still want academic selection. Interestingly the integrated sector have so-called all-ability (read comprehensive) schools which use academic selection to admit 35% of their intake
So where is the”absolute defence” of grammar schools that Michael Gove suggests in Northern Ireland when the entire Catholic Voluntary Grammar School cohort of 32 schools has failed to defend the rights of parents and pupils to that choice? Are the Conservatives in Northern Ireland and the central party and leaders willing to lie down when the Catholic Church decides that academic selection is no longer in their parishoners’interests and removes the choice?
Ed Balls is right, there is a split in the Conservative Party over education. It is a pity that David Cameron or Michael Gove cannot explain it to the electorate. Perhaps the Catholic Church in England can?
Where have all the Catholic Teachers Gone?
June 24, 2008
The Irish News coverage on employment of Catholic teaching graduates tells only part of the story. Perhaps the nationalist newspaper has difficulty admitting where many of the new graduates have found employment. They need look no further than England and the independent sector. A phone call to Fettes (Tony Blair’s old school) would be a good place to start. It is noticable that the Irish News fail to make a link between the Catholic Churches abandonment of academic selection and the reduction in opportunity for employment in Catholic schools in Northern Ireland. Explanations on a postcard please to Cardinal Brady.
Melanie Phillips points the way for Tories
June 23, 2008
Just how bad can the Northern Ireland Conservatives be on announcement timing? Their confused position on academic selection and the 11-plus covered in today’s Belfast Telegraph stands in stark juxtaposition to this article by Melanie Phillips in the Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1028558/If-Cameron-seen-light-grammar-schools-theres-real-hope-Tories.html#
Perhaps Jeff Peel and company have been too close to Sir Ken Bloomfield and the AQE and have forgotten what a true conservative stands for? After all it only took Sinn Fein a few milliseconds to point out their confused education policy position. At least the Shinners are consistently poor on education not weak, confused, directionless followers of former civil servants.
Responding to answers contained in a YOUGOV poll conducted by the Conservative Party in Northern Ireland the Parental Alliance for Choice in Education highlight apparent inconsistencies in education policy between here and the mainland. The poll answers were obtained on proposals for the ending of academic selection via the 11-plus in Northern Ireland The poll results demonstrate widespread rejection by the majority of respondents.
Stephen Elliott, Chairman of the Parental Alliance for Choice in Education, an organisation which represents parental rights in education throughout the U.K. said:
“While this finding is not unexpected it is clear that the proposals attacking grammar schools are likely to negatively affect the entire education system.”
“David Cameron and the Conservative Party must urgently address their policy decision to abandon support for academic selection Claims to support existing grammar schools throughout the UK ring hollow when the Conservative Party have abandoned support for selection entirely”
Mr Elliott went on to reveal:
“Michael Gove MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, stated unequivocally on the BBC Andrew Marr Show on Sunday June 1st when asked about academic selection “No, we don’t believe in selection.”
This message does not seemed to have reached Northern Ireland or the local Conservative party are attempting to con the electorate”
Concluding his remarks he said:
“Attempts by unelected representatives of the Conservative party in Northern Ireland to spin a UGOV poll should not be facilitated by the media without fact checking. The implication that the Conservatives oppose the ending of academic selection and the 11-plus are misleading and false.
Until a valid and reliable 11-plus replacement meeting international standards is developed the Minister and her officials must continue with the current tests. The message has always been clear that is what parents want. Educationalists and politicians must deliver improvements in choice and standards”
Sinn Fein get it wrong on education once again
June 19, 2008
John O’Dowd of Sinn Fein exhibits his practiced ignorance over the 11-plus transfer test while commenting on the AQE promoted replacement. If the transfer test fails to meet internationally recognised and accepted standards, including those of validity and reliability, why does Mr O’Dowd, his party Sinn Fein and the vast myriad of anti-academic selection protesters not legally challenge the transfer test in a British court prior to its use again in November? Why has he not insisted that NFER, DENI and CCEA stop the “abuse of children” over the past number of years with immediate effect? After all the Minister and her officials pay for the conduct of the tests.
Mr O’Dowd and a long list of other evangelists opposed to equality of opportunity are attempting to foist their failed ideology upon parents and children unwilling to accept the imposition of comprehensive schooling.
One only need look at the low numbers of pupils from the “enriched curriculum” schools of the Shankill Road entered for the transfer test to see the real harmful effect of the new curriculum. Clearly teachers don’t want to see their work measured by attainment results. Sinn Fein claim concern for the Protestant disadvantaged community but seem determined to further disadvantage their most vulnerable members through unethical experimentation. O’Dowd should be insisting on good numeracy and literacy teaching for all pupils in primary schools and holding to account those who fail to deliver. Less experimentation and more hard work.
For all the weasle words surrounding academic selection one fact remains immutable : If you’re not in - you can’t win John.
Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Chair of Governors at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution has just swimmingly announced plans for delivery of what the DUP described as “an unregulated test” to fill the vacuum created by the ending of the current 11-plus. The doyen of the disadvantaged aka The Association for Quality Education have sent materials to primary schools just as the school year ends thus ensuring a further three months of anxiety for parents and pupils seeking straightforward answers.
One glaring equality issue surrounding use of the AQE-promoted tests is highlighted by Sir Kenneth’s grand statement reported in the Belfast Telegraph ” some may allocate places in rank order while others may decide to use different criteria to allocate places among pupils THEY judge as suited to a grammar school place” Belfast Telegraph June 18, 2008. Nothing elitist there then just raw social selection.
No doubt Simpkins minor’s parents will be delighted.
