Ulster Teachers Union

UTU RESPONSE TO EDUCATION COMMITTEE ON THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION’S PROPOSAL FOR TRANSFER TO POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION FROM 2010

The Ulster Teachers’ Union, representing almost 7,000 members across all sectors of education, is the only teachers’ union with membership exclusively within Northern Ireland. The UTU has consistently opposed the principle of academic selection and was delighted when the Minister of Education announced that it was to end from 2010.

The UTU wishes to make the following initial response to the Minister’s recent suggestions on post-primary transfer.

• The UTU wishes to state very clearly its disappointment that academic selection is to remain in place beyond 2010, and that as a result three further cohorts of children may be subjected to the pressure of a test at such a tender age.

• The UTU believes, however, that the Minister’s proposals represent a step in the right direction and indicate a significant attempt at compromise, given the prevailing political opposition.

• The UTU hopes that this compromise will be matched by a similar move by those political parties who to date have refused to move their position, so that a consensus can be reached.

• It is disappointing that the views of the majority of educationalists who are opposed to the concept of academic selection seem to have been given little consideration by some political parties.

• The UTU urges those politicians who are opposed to ending academic selection to reconsider. The child must be placed at the centre of the process - to date the opposition to an ending of selection at 11 seems to centre on the maintenance of institutions, rather than in consideration of what is in the best interests of all our young people.

• The UTU has always supported the change in emphasis to age 14 as the appropriate time for career choices to be made. It makes little sense to separate pupils at age 11 when they are all following the same basic curriculum.

• The UTU feels that the area-based planning model that has been set up will contribute greatly to providing appropriate post-primary provision. The three-year phasing out of academic selection will assist those schools that are hesitant about change to gain confidence in providing wider educational experiences to their pupils.

• The UTU believes that many of the grammar schools that are opposed to the ending of academic selection will in fact see very little difference to their intakes under the Minister’s proposals since most grammar schools have been accepting an increasingly wider range of pupils anyway. There are an exceptionally small number of grammar schools that currently accept only A or B1 grade pupils.

• The UTU is pleased that the Minister’s proposals should theoretically have little impact on the primary school curriculum. Nevertheless the UTU has concerns that while any form of testing remains then there is potential for parents to put pressure on schools to “teach to the test”. The UTU would be totally opposed to this kind of distortion of the primary school curriculum, particularly given the introduction of the new Revised Curriculum which focuses on skills, not knowledge.

• The UTU also believes that it is essential that any form of academic testing be held outside the primary school to emphasise to parents that there is no link to the work done in primary school.

• The UTU notes the non academic criteria listed which are broadly similar to the criteria used for intakes into primary schools and which work well there. The UTU would suggest that the intakes into post-primary schools should be centrally administered, as for the primary sector.

• The UTU is pleased that the system of Transfer will take into account the rural dimension.

• It is important that an early way forward is found regarding transfer from 2010 onwards and the UTU believes that this proposal provides a vehicle. Teachers are becoming increasingly frustrated at the political wrangling and are clearly stating that they want consensus to be found now.

• The UTU is pleased that the Entitlement Framework will be in place from 2013 allowing informed choice to be made. The UTU has been concerned about the inequality of opportunity afforded to some pupils who are currently denied access to the same range of options as their counterparts in other areas.

• The UTU believes that the phased end to academic selection must certainly be no longer than three years.

• The UTU believes that collaboration between schools can only be beneficial. An urgent review of the current funding mechanisms is essential, however, as they are not suitable for a collaborative system.

The Central Executive Committee of the Ulster Teachers’ Union will be meeting on 13 th June 2008 to discuss in detail the Minister’s proposals, but it is hoped that the above will give the Education Committee a flavour of its response to date, as formulated by the Officers of the Union.

AVRIL HALL-CALLAGHAN
6 JUNE 2008
GENERAL SECRETARY