31 Friday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
The strike at Movilla school is somewhat unique and the circumstances are clouded by differing vested viewpoints. The situation is sub judice but this report on the BBC Education website raises issues over discipline and conduct in a broader context.
30 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
The Northern Ireland Revised Curriculum has moved away from in-depth subject based teaching towards a skills based approach claimed to be suitable for the 21st century. However recent evidence shows that students today have only a superficial understanding of many areas.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7692843.stm
If, like the economic downturn, the basic problems are not addressed then the situation will only become worse. There is no upside for the pupils forced to endure the revised curriculum
26 Sunday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
The alarm bells have been sounded on proposed reforms to the Scottish examination and curricular system. The spectre of a repeat of the 2000 chaos has resurfaced.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7689405.stm
It is regretable that such concern was not expressed by teachers, inspectors and politicians when the Northern Ireland system was the subject of upheaval.
23 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
Tags
academic selection, Angela Smith, CCEA, Northern Ireland Select Committee, pupil profile, Westminster
Taken from the uncorrected evidence transcript of a Northern Ireland Affairs Committee meeting on December 14 2005
Q202 Mr Fraser: If, as you are saying, grammar schools can have an amount of academically orientated curriculum, in effect they are being denied a voice in identifying the pupils who would benefit most from that curriculum.
Angela Smith: Because it is not the schools who are making the choice any more. The proposal would be for the parents to make the choice. The parents would consult the schools and it is up to parents, if they wish to discuss with the staff of the school whether that is the best route for their child….
Angela Smith forgot to leave a note to Caitriona Ruane explaining exactly how to deliver to parents on her promises. Parents are still waiting on a letter promised by Ruane in February. The Pupil Profile information promised to aid in the decision making removes rather than improves decision making information.
The Catholic Heads Association have backed, unseen, a CCEA test. Do they forget it was CCEA who produced the Pupil Profile? Parents certainly haven’t.
23 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
The Daily Telegraph reports a boom for solicitors in school admission appeals. Coming to Northern Ireland very soon?
23 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
Earlier this week, the CHA said that until the appropriate legislation is in place, academic selection should continue to take place, preferably using the CCEA’s – the curriculum council’s test – which the minister has commissioned and planned to use over three years as part of her plan to phase out selection.
“Until such time as a secure, agreed and reliable means of transfer can be put in place, academic selection should continue, for the entire intake,” the CHA statement concluded.
Notice that the CHA make no reference whatsoever to comparisons to the current transfer test and whether this non-existent CCEA test can be claimed to be an improvement. It is quite clear that the CHA favour a step backwards. Is this their catholic definition of “social justice”.
22 Wednesday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
Tags
academic selection, CCEA, Democratic Unionist Party, DENI, Jim Allister, TUV, Ulster Unionist Party
Prior to the media announcement by the Catholic Heads Association on their position on academic selection and testing a unionist politican seems to have stolen their thunder.
Jim Allister QC MEP issued a press release on his web site.
http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=1234
The message was a warning on a political fudge by unionists on academic selection and testing that would see a retreat away from the 11-plus by accepting a test which has less validity and reliability than the current transfer test. No doubt he was alluding to the St Andrews Agreement and the votes obtained by the DUP on the subject.
21 Tuesday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
The Minister for Education seems to have attracted various interlocutors to reinforce her dicktat.
The Irish News has published various letters from clearly informed sources. For example:
http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/576/2008/10/18/600533_360639883090EventheU.html
It will be a significant blow to the nationalist community if there has to be a climb down by the Minister and the Catholic Church on the issue of academic selection.
21 Tuesday Oct 2008
Posted in Uncategorized
A teacher’s union, the NASUWT, has been on strike for a second week over an alleged assault on one of its members. This is remarkable given that there were 272 physical attacks on staff resulting in suspension. Additional figures available for Northern Ireland schools on the DENI website indicate that 5 assualts on teachers resulted in expulsion in the last year.
No figures were available on the number of pupils cautioned, charged or convicted.
Why the inequality in this particular case?
In addition to the accused pupil an additional 540 pupils have been denied their legal right to an education by the union members.
The Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane, asked for a speedy resolution, suggesting a role for the Childrens Commissioner.
http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=83846
The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children, Patricia Lewsley offered to mediate on the dispute but her intervention and comment
Corporate abuse of children’s rights
provoked the union into seeking legal advice.
The latest news is that the pupil in question is to be charged by the DPP and will appear in court in November.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7682097.stm
No doubt all the PC, hand-wringing, crocodile tear-shedding union representatives will be delighted to pass the buck to the PSNI and DPP
In the meantime 540 pupils are denied their right to an education.
16 Thursday Oct 2008
Posted in Grammar Schools
It seems that a Ms O’Shaughnessey has adopted the role of speaking for Caitriona Ruane on education matters, in particular on post-primary arrangements.
Her latest missive published in the local print media attempts to put three Catholic schools in their place for having the temerity to resist Ruane’s illegal diktat on the introduction of entrance examinations.
The Irish News provides the vehicle:
http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/576/2008/10/14/600104_360124809817Thereisn.html
Her portrayal of consensus owes much to the equality of result/outcome ideology of Sinn Fein and nothing to the undisputed fact that parents are the prime educators of their children. Currently parents retain a right in British and European law to have their children educated according to their religious and philosophical convictions. Ruane and her band of followers clearly wish to impose their views upon others. However the hypocricy and illegality of their actions are bound to be ignored internally since to recognise them would be an admission of error. There is no chance of consensus on this issue no matter what soundings tell them otherwise.
The elites here are the advisors and hangers-on who claim to speak on behalf of parents and children. Do they recognise themselves?
