Friends of Grammar Schools

Simon Doyle, Education Correspondent

450 words Publication date: 22 May 2009

Source: The Irish News Page: Pg. 1

(c) 2009, The Irish News Ltd.  All Rights reserved.

Almost 850 primary school principals have been invited to an unprecedented conference to discuss concerns about the “intolerable” situation being caused by new grammar school entrance tests.

So concerned are the five teaching unions about the impending unregulated system of transfer that they have, for the first time, called together all the north’s head teachers.

A one-off conference, planned for next week, will be among the largest ever gatherings of its kind in the north.

There will be no state-sponsored 11-plus this November but almost all grammars intend to forge ahead with entrance exams.

Schools will either use a Common Entrance Assessment (CEA) or papers by GL Assessment.

Both claim their English and maths exams will not distort the revised curriculum, which is designed to allow more class time for teaching and less for practice papers. Secondary and primary staff are being told by their unions to refuse to administer, supervise, mark or prepare children for grammar school entrance tests.

Teachers say that such a stance is putting them on a collision course with parents who will demand children be readied for new tests as they were for the 11-plus.

Some principals want coaching to continue but acknowledge there could be problems preparing for separate exams.

However, the 11-plus operated under a legal framework for academic selection and in an unregulated system unions have a basis on which to effectively challenge the practice.

The conference, to be held at Belfast’s Ramada hotel next Thursday, has been organised by the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) and supported by its four sister unions.

INTO senior official Brendan Harron said there was “a sense of outrage” among primary principals about the state of affairs regarding transfer 2010.

“Primary principals were very angry at the lack of direction from their employing authorities on this difficult issue,” he said.

“On the one hand they were being warned by the minister and the department not to deviate from teaching the revised curriculum and on the other hand they are being pressurised by parents of P6 children to prepare their children for the forthcoming unofficial, independent entrance tests.

“They were also expressing outrage at what they saw as the arrogance of grammar schools in introducing the entrance tests without as much as consulting their local primary schools.”

Fintan Murphy, principal of Holy Trinity PS, Enniskillen, said the conference would help head teachers find common ground.

“We would be hopeful we can get a clear picture as to how we can all move forward and do what is best for our children without stepping into a legal minefield,” he said.