National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
NASUWT NORTHERN IRELAND
The Teachers' Union
Minister of Education’s Proposals for Post Primary Transfer 6 th June 2008
NASUWT is the largest teachers’ union in Northern Ireland with the majority of its membership in the post primary sector.
NASUWT recognises the role of the selective and non-selective post primary schools in providing excellent opportunities for many young people, of all abilities, to reach their full potential. However, these schools have failed too high a number of young people, as the education system does not require these schools to apply their expertise and experience through collaboration and co-operation to the benefit of all young people in Northern Ireland.
NASUWT welcomes the Area Based Planning approach that will determine education provision across all sectors, including Further Education, for local areas. This together with a Sustainable Schools policy will foster a community response to meet the educational needs of all young people.
NASUWT sees the introduction of the Education Skills Authority as an important body to develop and transform education in Northern Ireland into an example of excellence for all to see.
NASUWT is opposed to the testing of children at the age of eleven and regards the election at the age of fourteen as appropriate.
NASUWT supports the introduction of the Entitlement Framework that offers the widest choice for all young people between the ages of fourteen and nineteen and sees it essential that all education providers work in partnership to achieve this objective.
The NASUWT regards the transition arrangements, proposed by the Minster, as unnecessary but recognises its introduction as expedient to reassure parents of the advantages of a more coherent and responsive education system that meets the needs of all young people. It is also appropriate that the small number of schools that may wish to use the transitional arrangement do so away from the primary schools so as not to interfere with the curriculum and work of teachers in the primary school.
NASUWT believes that consistency and equity in the school admissions system can only be secured through a coherent framework within which schools can operate. This is to ensure that admissions arrangements do not disadvantage, either directly or indirectly, children from particular social or minority ethnic groups or children with disabilities or special educational needs.
NASUWT continues to be concerned about the way in which some interpretations of the concept of parental choice have undermined the development of effective and co-operative relationships between parents and schools. There are clear tensions between policies that encourage competition between schools and those which seek to establish greater co-operation.
NASUWT is concerned that giving priority to siblings of children at the school may result in a disproportionately high number of children living close to the school being denied places. This can lead to indirect discrimination against children from poorer families or certain social groups.
NASUWT is cautious about the use of catchment areas by admission authorities to address over subscription. Such arrangements can lead to significant degrees of discrimination where, for example, a school is situated in an area of particularly high-cost housing. NASUWT believes that, where catchment area criteria are used, there should be a requirement to demonstrate that the use of such criteria allows for pupil intakes to reflect the diversity of the community served by the schools.
Where random allocation is used to settle potential cases of over-subscription, NASUWT insists that the way in which this system will operate must be explained clearly. NASUWT believes that it is good practice to undertake a fresh round of random allocations when deciding which pupil should be offered a place from the waiting list.
The development of coherent educational provision requires all providers to be incorporated into local arrangements. It is essential to ensure that the efforts being made by the Government to develop greater co-operation between schools are not undermined by the ability of a small number of institutions to act in ways, which undermine attempts to foster local collaboration and co-operation.
For further information on the Union’s response contact…………
Mr Seamus Searson, Northern Ireland Organiser
NASUWT Northern Ireland
Ben Madigan House
Edgewater Office Park
Edgewater Road
Belfast BT3 9JQ
028 9078 4480
www.teachersunion.org.uk
nasuwt@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
The largest union representing teachers and principals in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK