Education – Page 22 – Slugger O'Toole

Grammars: an engine of social mobility

Mick Fealty on September 1, 2006, 5:06 pm | Readers 5

Eric Waugh argues that whilst other resources have been frittered away, Northern Ireland’s Grammar Schools remain the jewel in Northern Ireland’s educational crown. He argues that with educational policy facing a flux in a Blair/Cameron Britain, nothing should be rushed that forces the best of our schools to effectively move themselves outside the state sector.His primary reasoning arises from the record of Grammars in promoting kids from poor families to a good standard of education: It is the grammar schools …

Private commissioners, public funds…

Pete Baker on August 15, 2006, 2:20 am | Readers 0

While I abhor the idea of an unelected quango of commissioners, appointed by an NIO minister, sitting in private session on any issue, never mind education services, the stalling tactics by the elected representatives on the Southern South Eastern Education and Library Board before the appointment of the replacement Board, and their subsequent complaints after the fact, doesn’t generate much sympathy from me either.. The fact that neither side appears to be able to state clearly what the actual position …

Violent attacks up, explusions down…

Mick Fealty on August 12, 2006, 4:51 am | Readers 0

This is not a problem confined to Northern Ireland, but Peter Robinson has expressed surprise that a high levels of violent behaviour towards school staff are not being reflected in school explusions (just fourteen over the last two years). He quotes the teacher’s organisation INTO which claims that up to fifty teachers are leaving the profession each year citing attacks as the reason for their going. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts …

“I’m very happy to take your questions.”

Pete Baker on July 18, 2006, 3:02 pm | Readers 6

Following his speech at the MacGill Summer School on Sunday, where he focussed primarily – and, according to SF leader Gerry Adams, patronisingly – on the issue of policing and Sinn Féin, Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland Peter Hain, has given another speech. This time, in true campaigning style, he was speaking to the gathered NI press corps at Stormont – full speech here[pdf file]… and there are plenty of areas for further questions to be asked. …

“History is not abstraction, it is the enemy of abstraction.”

Pete Baker on July 11, 2006, 4:36 pm | Readers 168

Miss Fitz’s comment on an earlier thread – on sharing a commemoration of our past – reminded me that I had intended to note a fascinating article in The Observer by Stephen Fry – who memorably and movingly investigated his own family history on the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are?. It’s a speech he made to launch Why History Matters, a campaign which unfortunately does not include our contested local history, but the points he makes, on …

Grammars take a wide range of grades…

Mick Fealty on July 4, 2006, 2:30 pm | Readers 133

The Belfast Telegraph reported last week that Northern Ireland’s Grammar schools are taking a range of abilities, from A to D grades. Interestingly the two schools they highlight at the top of the article draw kids from the same catchment area: Sullivan Upper which only takes A grades and Campbell College, which takes as little as a D. The former is a state Grammar and the latter a private school. However several Grammar heads have been at pains to point …

Education answers on integrated education

Mick Fealty on June 28, 2006, 6:33 pm | Readers 1

We have some ministerial answers to questions posed by David Anderson, the Labour MP for Blaydon:Education Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what steps (a) education and library boards and (b) the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools are taking in their rationalisation plans to ensure that the principles of the Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland: A Shared Future are delivered? (2) what the timescale is for the strategic …

Why do teachers need Irish in the Republic?

Mick Fealty on June 23, 2006, 2:44 pm | Readers 26

We’ve a couple of Irish language stories on the go today. First we have a this note received from a fully immigrant teacher from the UK, who is struggling to understand why he has to pass a language qualification that he won’t otherwise need in the teaching of this subject. As he points out, if he doesn’t gain the SCG within five years, he will no longer be considered qualified as a teacher. The SCG is the Scrúdú le haghaidh …

Are schools to be part of a ‘Shared Future’?

Mick Fealty on June 19, 2006, 6:29 pm | Readers 4

These Westminster parliamentary questions by a Labour MP from the North East of England on how education is to measure up against several strategic initiatives demonstrate the degree to which no one is scrutinising is public policy in Northern Ireland. Mr David Anderson (Blaydon):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, why special schools in Northern Ireland are not permitted to move to integrated status. (78979) Mr David Anderson (Blaydon):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what …

Warning: Educational Vandals at Work

Mick Fealty on June 14, 2006, 6:47 pm | Readers 4

Long time reader and occasional contributor Watchman lays out the case against planned reformation of the local education system in Northern Ireland. He argues that merit is part of every aspect of life and that trying to dumb down the education system is a trick that only works against the poorer parts of society. Indeed he calls it a form of “arrogant egalitarian bigotry”.By The Watchman “This Order will not only see an end to the 11-plus exam as a …

Education: a real stick to beat unionists with?

Mick Fealty on June 14, 2006, 2:49 pm | Readers 1

Owen Bowcott in the Guardian yesterday notes that Maria Eagle, “revealed that the long-promised curtailment of academic selection would not come into force if local politicians agreed to restore a fully functioning Stormont assembly and executive by the deadline of November 24″. Aha. That looks to be a more convincing stick than vague muttering about joint authority. As Mitchell Reiss noted at the weekend: “…there’s a larger sense that decisions will be taken by people other than Sinn Féin or …

Ducking the issue?

Pete Baker on June 2, 2006, 1:14 am | Readers 0

Hmm.. would it be fair to say that, having agreed their budget cut, the South Eastern Education and Library Board are now engaged in a process of simply trying to postpone the inevitable? Pete Baker

40% more schools per head than UK average

Mick Fealty on April 21, 2006, 11:54 am | Readers 0

Bob Osborne for the University of Ulster with an interesting analysis of the real state of Northern Ireland’s diverse school base. Even if the number of integrated schools remains low, local demand continues to integrate Catholic pupils into state schools. He reckons there needs to be specific teacher training for such mixed educational environments. About 6% of the NI school population is in integrated schools, but some complex patterns are emerging. Hence, while the overwhelming majority of those attending and …

Hearts and Minds: education; education; education…

Mick Fealty on March 30, 2006, 8:40 pm | Readers 1

On Hearts and Minds tonight: “Education Minister Angela Smith debates the controversial issues with three head teachers, each with their own perspective. Academic selection, the pupil profile, the new curriculum.. everything you wanted to know about about the brave new world but were too afraid to ask”. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, …

BELB accepts new buget cuts

Pete Baker on March 30, 2006, 1:08 am | Readers 3

The Belfast Education and Library Board held out against the new budget, and the £6.6million in cuts it contained, for longer than the South Eastern Education and Library Board, but, following a reported ultimatum from NIO Minister Angela Smith, the elected representatives, who all voted against the budget, were today out-numbered by the appointed members by one vote… of course, if they hadn’t been consistently over-spending in previous years those cuts wouldn’t now be imposed. Which may raise the question …

Towards integration or segregation..?

Mick Fealty on March 29, 2006, 9:27 pm | Readers 17

Interestingly, none of the major parties oppose integrated education. Yet, in a storm, few are prepared to back it either. Even the government, which highlights the segregated nature of Northern Irish society in its A Shared Future initiative seems to have abandoned it in the face of dropping rolls in the state and maintained school sectors and the ensuing fight for finite resources.Contrary to the idea that integrated education is a middle class affair, some schools like Hazelwood College (celebrating …

Major cash boost for [some] education

Pete Baker on March 23, 2006, 6:52 pm | Readers 0

There was some additional funding for Northern Ireland announced via yesterday’s budget, some £26million, but the Secretary of State steered it carefully away [invested it on our behalf – Ed] into his previously announced 2-year Children and Young People’s Fund – making it now a £87million fund, with an additional £14.6million available to community and voluntary groups. Just as well there’s no pressure on other education services then.. I mean it’s not as if two Education and Library Boards are …

Education, education, education…

Mick Fealty on March 7, 2006, 3:34 pm | Readers 1

Despite some online scepticism about the real reasons for Amazon’s strategic shift from Slough to Cork, it has caused some in the mainstream British press to pause for thought, given Amazon’s stated reason being a failure to attract a highly enough educated workforce. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. …

Queens Student Union returns neutral ticket…

Mick Fealty on February 25, 2006, 3:59 am | Readers 31

Interesting news from Queens Uni’s SU election. We hear from The Gown blog that the apparently non aligned pairing of Ben Preston and Peter Quinn have won the ballot this evening and take up a second year in office. So has Queens Students Union, once dubbed a cold house for unionists, just got a few degrees warmer? Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media …

The schools are not the thing…

Mick Fealty on February 22, 2006, 8:36 pm | Readers 0

Roisin McAuley has experience of the school system in England, and what she sees is an incoherent mess, rather than a system. She has three top tips, based on her experience, on the significance of schooling: Firstly, four things are important in education. Innate intelligence, home background, peer group and school. An intelligent child, with supportive parents and motivated friends at a good school, will rise to the top in any career. A child with any three of the above …