Education in Northern
Ireland
1. Secondary education in Northern Ireland is based
largely on a selective system with pupils attending grammar schools
or secondary schools according to their academic ability. Some
two-thirds of pupils opt to take the Transfer Test (known as the
11 Plus) based on written examinations in English, mathematics
and, more recently, science. A lengthy Review of Post-Primary
Education arrangements in Northern Ireland began in 1998 when
the Government commissioned research which concluded that, while
the current selective education system had significant strengths,
there were also serious weaknesses that needed to be addressed.[1]
2. On the eve of the suspension of the Northern Ireland
Assembly in October 2002, the then Minister for Education in Northern
Ireland announced that the Transfer Test would come to an end.
The Assembly was not able to discuss this and has not met since.
3. In January 2004 following review and consultation
the then Minister for Education, Jane Kennedy, MP, announced the
ending of academic selection with the last transfer tests to be
held in autumn 2008. Thereafter admissions to post-primary schools
will be based on parent and pupil choice and in the case of a
school being oversubscribed, selection will take place on the
basis of the admissions criteria outlined by the Minister.[2]
4. The Committee was approached by a group of Grammar
School Principals, supported by the Governing Bodies Association,
Concerned Parents for Education, and the Confederation of Grammar
Schools' Former Pupils' Associations, who said that their voices
had not been adequately heard in the debate on the proposed changes
to post-primary education in Northern Ireland. The Committee agreed
unanimously to meet the group while at the same time recognising
that it should also meet groups representing other views on the
future of post-primary education.
5. The Committee visited Northern Ireland on 28-29
November 2005 when it took evidence from the Grammar Schools'
Group, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, a group of
Controlled Secondary School Principals, and representatives of
East Belfast and Greater Shankill Partnerships. The Committee
visited two schools in Belfast, Belfast Royal Academy and St Gabriel's
College, and went to Londonderry and visited Thornhill College
and Lisneal College. The Committee received a number of written
submissions and also subsequently took evidence from the Minister
for Education, Angela Smith, MP. We have printed this evidence.
6. We are grateful to all those who helped us with
this work, including those who provided written or oral evidence.
We are particularly grateful to the principals, staff, parents,
pupils and governors of the schools that we visited for their
warm welcome.
7. On 6 December 2005 the Minister issued a statement
setting out the Government's vision for new post-primary arrangements
and published for consultation a Proposal for a draft Education
(Northern Ireland) Order.
8. It is clear from the evidence that we received,
written and oral, formal and informal, that there are people in
both communities who feel strongly on both sides of the argument
about academic selection. Whilst it would not be appropriate at
this late stage in the decision-making process to become involved
in the debate about the ending of academic selection, we believe
it is important that, in the period before the restoration of
the Assembly, the Minister takes careful account of all the views
that have been expressed to us so forcefully. In her evidence,
the Minister stressed that, while much debate had centred on the
question of academic selection, the proposals went much wider
and have "the potential to give enormous benefits to Northern
Ireland"[3]. In noting
this, the Committee's primary concern is to ensure that any changes
enhance the quality of education in Northern Ireland, enabling
each and every pupil to benefit from the best possible education.
9. In relation to the development of the Pupil Profile,
which will be used to assist parents and pupils in choosing the
appropriate post primary school, we welcome the Minister's recognition
of the need for rigour and robustness and the potential role for
computer adaptive testing. The Minister indicated that the use
of computer assessment tools had been incorporated into pupil
profiles saying: "Computer adaptive tests can give very valid
and reliable outcomes and I think they help prove the consistency
of teacher assessment".[4]
10. The Committee is keenly aware that education
is a formerly devolved responsibility and we hope that there will
be scope for detailed supervision of the implementation of the
changes by a restored Assembly. In this context, we note the Government's
desire to restore devolution during 2006. It is essential that,
both before and after the restoration of devolution, the people
of Northern Ireland are given every legitimate opportunity to
express their concerns. We therefore encourage all interested
parties to take every opportunity to participate in the present
consultation process.
11. We draw the concerns expressed in the written
and oral evidence we have received to the attention of the Government
and we give notice that we may return to this subject. At this
stage we propose no further hearings, but we urge that opportunity
be provided for the order to be debated on the floor of the House.
1 The Effects of the Selective System of Secondary
Education in Northern Ireland, Tony Gallagher & Alan Smith,
Queen's University Belfast and University of Ulster, September
2000 Back
2
New Post-Primary Arrangements: A Statement by Angela Smith, MP,
Minister for Education, December 2005 (Page 7) "Some popular
schools will continue to have more applications than places are
available. As now, schools will use admissions criteria to determine
who will be admitted. There will be a menu of criteria for schools
to choose from. The menu will provide schools with some flexibility
to take account of different circumstances, for example, schools
and pupils in towns and cities, and schools and pupils in rural
areas. The main elements of the menu will be:
Siblings currently at the school
and eldest child;
a range of community/geographical
criteria - feeder primary schools, parish, child-centred catchment
and school-centred catchment; and
tie-breakers - to be used only where
other criteria are not capable of allocating places to remaining
applicants. Random selection or measured distance from the school
will both be included in the menu." Back
3
Q 266 Back
4
Q 204 Back
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