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Pace N.Ireland Education Weblog

Tag Archives: Grammar Schools

Warning to parents prior to N. Ireland Assembly Election

04 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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11-plus, AQE, Arlene Foster, CCEA, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP Education Policy, First Minister of Northern Ireland, Free School Meals, FSM, Gavin Boyd, Grammar Schools, KS2 Transfer Test, No Child Left Behind, Peter Weir MLA, Pupil Misclassification

FosterThe DUP’s Educational Incoherence

 

At the same time as the DUP has committed itself to a “No Child Left Behind” policy, Peter Weir (Chair of the Education Committee) suggested that the Party might return the Transfer Test to CCEA control.  Has he forgotten that the current AQE test was written to address shortcomings – such as unacceptable high pupil misclassification rate – in the  old CCEA test?

 

More worrying for the coherence of DUP education policy is the remarkably high proportion of children on free school meals (FSM) qualifying for grammar school places under the current AQE tests.  ALMOST HALF of AQE entrants eligible for FSM are meeting minimal standards for grammar school entry.  Handing the test back to CCEA would see a dramatic reduction in this number.  In short, returning to a CCEA test would be entirely at odds with a policy of leaving no child behind.

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The Conservative Party War on Grammar Schools

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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Andreas Schleicher, conservative party, ConservativesNI, Grammar Schools, John O'Dowd, Michael Gove, OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education Northern Ireland, Ofsted, PISA, Sir Michael Wilshaw

GoveSpectator

Yet another of Michael Gove’s poor choice of heroes, Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has been pushed forward to launch a war on the parental right to have their children educated according to their philosophical convictions.

The Observer http://www.observer.co.uk front page on Sunday 15th December, 2013 announced;

Ofsted chief declares war on grammar schools

It should be made clear that Michael Wilshaw did not launch the attack alone. He has the support of the Conservative leadership in the form of Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education in England.

Last week Michael Gove met with the leader of Kent council, Paul Carter and made it clear that he would not approve the expansion of grammar school provision in Kent. Gove claimed he would be “genuinely open” to another application in coming months – after the European elections no doubt.

WilshawOfsted

Sir Michael Wilshaw went even further though and stated unequivocally that he would not support the expansion of grammar schools.

Both men are linked in their support for the OECD Pisa tests used to create international comparisons of education systems. Both men have failed to explain with facts their position given that the Pisa rankings have been shown to be fundamentally flawed and useless.

Spiegelhalter

If Michael Gove and Sir Michael Wilshaw have a rebuttal they should publish their answer and make it available to Dr Hugh Morrison, Professor Svend Kreiner and David Spiegelhalter for comment. Mr Gove should also make contact with Diane Ravitch education policy analyst and former United States Asst Secretary for Education and author of Reign of Error

http://wp.me/p2odLa-6Aw made her views clear http://wp.me/p2odLa-6Aw

OECD Pisa have attempted to link academic selection and the existence of grammar schools to the UK’s “poor rankings”.

http://www.oecd.org/education/school/NorthernIreland_review.pdf

This report, OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment, was commissioned by another of Michael Gove’s dear friends, Sinn Fein Education Minister in Northern Ireland, John O’Dowd.

There is no doubt that the Conservative Party would be delighted to have the thorn of pushy parents and their demand for new grammar school places disappear before the next elections but pushing Sir Michael Wilshaw out to begin their war will result in immediate casualties.

The silence from the Conservative Party in Northern Ireland on the attack on grammar schools will cause problems. Michael Gove must rebut his critics with facts or withdraw his support for Andreas Schleicher and the flawed OECD Pisa rankings.

He must then surrender to the will of parents and voters on the issue of grammar schools otherwise the Conservative Party will pay at the ballot box.

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“President” attacks parents right to choose grammar schools

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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academic education, Article 2 Protocol 1 of ECHR, bishop donal mckeown, enrolment figures in post-primary schools by religion, European Convention on Human Rights, Grammar Schools, Irish News, St Malachy's College Belfast

Donal McKeownMcKeownAttack on GrammarsRoman Catholic auxillary bishop, Donal McKeown demanded that he was referred to as “president” when he was principal of St Malachy’s College in Belfast. Therefore his attack on parental choice for 11-plus testing and academic selection in the Irish News (subscription required) May 28th 2013 smacks of yet another slathering of hypocricy from the Catholic hierarchy.

Without a hint of irony Bishop McKeown describes the Northern Ireland education system as “bad” while neglecting to acknowledge his own part in imposing a constructivist regime currently dedicated to attempts to make academic selection illegal. In a carefully chosen form of words Donal tries to position “academic education” as an equivalent to the grammar schools by suggesting that all schools provide an academic education for their pupils. Perhaps he should examine the examination results of the grammar schools with those of his favoured comprehensives and let the evidence speak. Parents should not be vexed by Bishop McKeown’s insidious attempts to undermine parental choice for education to be provided in accordance with their philosophical convinctions as described in ARTICLE 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights

No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religions and philosophical convictions.

The Bishop may recall that it it this very same convention that his Catholic Church relies upon to maintain their separate schooling system.

Parents will not miss this attack by the Roman Catholic church on the parental role as prime educators of their children. The attack on parental choice is led by a group of non parents, their spokesman a former grammar school principal who has, like many grammar school principals, failed to represent the interests of all pupils by defending the right of parents to choose.

Bishop McKeown backs a shared education programme which seeks to purge grammar schools (schools which use academic selection by test at 11 as the first admission criteria) out of existence. There is not much room for sharing in a system where 97.7% of pupils attending Catholic schools are Catholic (see http://www.deni.gov.uk)

Of interest the state controlled schools referred to as “Protestant” are made up of only 71% Protestants

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Grammar Schools “have nothing to fear” says Paul Connolly to Education Committee

17 Friday May 2013

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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11-plus, Grammar Schools, John O'Dowd, Northern Ireland Education Minister, Paul Connolly, Queens University Belfast, selection at 11

Connolly EducComm

Professor Connolly led a team comprised of anti-academic selection, anti-grammar school zealots for the Education Minister to investigate how to advance shared education. Not surprisingly the major recommendation of the report was propose legislation to end academic selection making it illegal.

Read the Report here http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofEducation/MinisterialAdvisoryGroup/
Note that this Ministerial Report is hosted by QUB not his DENI and and is clearly a political position heralded by the university. Readers will recall that QUB School of Education also produced the report on The Effects of the Selective System of Secondary Education in Northern Ireland in 2000 but the publisher was DENI.

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The conceptual error of the Rasch model used by PISA

11 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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academic selection, CCEA, Fred Naylor, Grammar Schools, Irish News, John O'Dowd, Michael Gove, OECD, PISA

Rasch

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The AQE and GL Assessment 11-plus results for 2013: Advice to Parents

01 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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11-plus, 11-plus and admission procedure, academic selection at 11, AQE, AQE test results, Education Minister, GL Assessment, GL Assessment test results, Grammar Schools, Parental Alliance for Choice in Education, quintiles, scores, selection at 11, Standardised Age Scores, unregulated 11-plus tests

11-plus keep calm

Good luck to all the pupils waiting for their transfer test results. The children and their parents/guardians are to be commended for their efforts. The children, not least, for being willing to have their numeracy and literacy skills tested and excerising their right to compete for a place in a grammar school. The parents/guardians for supporting the efforts of those schools determined to deliver the equality of opportunity that a transfer test affords. 2013 is the forth year that the “unregulated” tests have been organised and delivered to the highest of standards and it is testament to those who have resisted the determination of an Education Minister hellbound on removing parental choice for a grammar school education to match the needs of their children.

It is important when the results are known not to fall into the annual trap generated by opponents of selection by stressing over the marks or grades (these always remove information and should not ever be compared to the old CCEA grading system) obtained by the pupil. Expect and resist the rumour mill but instead arm yourself with the knowledge that until the admissions process is completed no one can issue a guarantee of a place at any grammar school. The marks/grades from previous years may give a reasonable indication of a school’s 2013 intake but do not be put off in listing a preference because of something someone has told you “on good authority” or “inside information”. Remember that Open Enrolment has resulted in about 42% of post-primary pupils getting a place in a grammar school.

11-plus practice<

In making a selection of preferences it is important to take into consideration future plans for the schools. There is little benefit in choosing a school which in a short period will no longer be a grammar school. The school is unlikely to inform you of their change in direction, after all they are competing for your child and relying on their marketing efforts. Your child will not benefit in the long run. Forty plus years of research evidence and data on attainment shows that mixed ability schools generally produce lower attainments at GCSE and A-Level.
Add to that the negative impact of the revised curriculum and the entitlement framework and the Education Minister's insistence in breaking parity on examinations with England and this year's cohort of parents making vital decisions on behalf of their children must be sure of their choices.

Specific information on schools will follow

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Politicians cannot be trusted on 11-plus exams for grammar schools

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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11-plus, academic selection at 11, Belfast Newsletter, Danny Kinahan MLA, Democratic Unionist Party, DENI, Grammar Schools, John O'Dowd, Mervyn Storey MLA, NewsLetter, Ulster Unionist Party

On Wednesday 21st November, 2012 the Belfast Newsletter  published an Opinion article http://www.newsletter.co.uk/community/your-view/policy-will-end-grammar-schools-1-4505902 by PACE highlighting attempts by the two major unionist parties to hand control of unregulated 11-plus testing back into the hands of an anti-choice Sinn Fein Education Minister. Visit the Newsletter site – then make your pro-selection views known via the comments section.

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This Friends School video shows why the UK needs more grammar schools

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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Friends, Friends of Grammar Schools, Glee, Grammar Schools, Northern Ireland schools, Promotion of grammar schools

No words required – the video tells the story. Not one mention of the academic excellence achieved by the pupils required. Michael Gove and John O’Dowd should watch this to realise that they will never get rid of grammar schools – the next generation are already enthused.

http://t.co/ahqTwLY7

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Fred Naylor 1919 – 2011 Co-Founder of The Parental Alliance for Choice in Education

11 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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11-plus, academic selection, Fred Naylor, Grammar Schools, NGSA, PACE, PACENI

1919 - 2011

 

Fred Naylor, the co-founder of the Parental Alliance for Choice in Education has died, aged 92.  Fred , who was in charge of the Bath Technical School, which later became Culverhay School, was actively involved in local and national education even after his retirement.

He was born in St Helen’s in Lancashire and after leaving school, went to study chemistry at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

It was while he was there that he met his future wife Marjorie, also a teacher, who died just a month before him, in September at the age of 86.

Fred Naylor taught at a number of schools around the country, including ones in Leeds and in Scotland, before joining the Bath Technical School in 1963.

While he was there he was seconded to work in London, on an educational think tank. It was during this time that the school system in Bath was reformed and went comprehensive, a change Mr Naylor was opposed to, so when his job was re-advertised he did not apply.

Instead, he went to work at Newton Park College, which later became Bath Spa University, and was involved with teacher training.

Mr Naylor and his family lived in Kingsdown, near Box, and throughout his retirement he continued to be interested in the local education system.

He set up the Parental Alliance for Choice in Education (PACE), which campaigned for parents to have more say over schooling, and was also active in the National Grammar Schools Association (NGSA).

His work with these organisations led him to meet many influential politicians, including Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron.

One of Fred Naylor’s many publications had a particular  emphasis on the Northern Ireland  education system. Education for the 21st Century: Report by the Post Primary Review Body was published in October 2001 at the behest of Martin  McGuinness,  Northern Ireland’s education  minister. Known colloquially as the Burns Report, it  advocates   abolishing Northern Ireland’s grammar and secondary (modern) schools and  setting up a  new ‘collegial system’ of  comprehensive schools without any concern for standards.

 

The pamphlet, Comprehensive  Ideology: Burns and the Betrayal of Two Communities  was  written in response, though it  is also  relevant to the rest of the UK.

 

The authors of the Burns  Report have failed to grasp that comprehensivisation has reduced educational  opportunities on the mainland.  Ever  since 1972, when research  by  the National Foundation for Educational  Research (NFER)   showed that  comprehensivisation  was a handicap to  raising  standards, the destruction of  selective schools has been pursued for ideological, not educational,  reasons.

The Burns Report  is riddled with incoherences and omissions,  not least the remarkable achievements of secondary (modern) schools.  Fred Naylor uses quotations from  supporters of comprehensivisation to show how  illiberal they are and how they are undermining the Human Rights of parents.  His analysis demonstrates that the ‘comprehensive principle’ is designed, not  to protect and preserve different cultures, but to destroy them.

It is timely that the warnings provided by Fred Naylor and PACE are available to counter the cynical efforts of Sinn Fein Education Ministers determined to remove parental rights in education.

 

Comprehensive Ideology costs £4.00 including postage  from 18 Westlands Grove, York YO31 1EF.

 

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Grammar Schools to grow in England and shrink in Northern Ireland

24 Friday Jun 2011

Posted by paceni in Grammar Schools

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Daily Express, Daily Telegraph, expansion of grammar schools in England, Grammar Schools, John O'Dowd, NGSA, Nick Gibb MP, Robert McCartney QC

While Northern Ireland Education Minister, John O’Dowd pushes forward with his undemocratic removal of grammar schools by denying parents choice, the opposite is happening in England. Nick Gibb has called for the expansion of grammar school places. His support for the aims of the National Grammar Schools Association is to be welcomed. There can be little wonder about O’Dowd’s reluctance to admit the failures of comprehensive education available across the Irish Sea.  Forty- plus years of evidence is inconvenient for Sinn Fein. Today’s Daily Express highlights an expansion of grammar school places as a good move.

Read the full story here: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/254638/Grammar-school-comment

A further article appeared in the DailyExpress http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/254638/Grammar-school-comment

and in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8592624/Grammar-schools-should-be-allowed-to-expand-says-Gibb.html

 

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