Dungannon’s Catholic grammars urged to scrap academic selection
DUNGANNON’S Catholic grammar schools are under pressure to phase out academic selection at the age of 11 after the first grammar schools in Northern Ireland announced they would end selection.
Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar, Newry; Omagh Christian Brothers Grammar and St Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar, Belfast have backed plans by the Church’s bishops to scrap the tests.
Under the plans signed by the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, Catholic grammar schools are being asked to admit at least one in four pupils without having to sit the Post Primary Transfer Consortium’s GL Assessment test.
The endorsement has put pressure on St Patrick’s Academy and St Joseph’s College, Donaghmore, who have signed up for a new year of GL suits, to follow suit.
Campaign
A campaign group of local primary school principals said it was now time for all Catholic grammars to follow the recommendation of the bishops.
“We warmly welcome the Northern Bishops’ Statement on ending academic selection in Catholic post primary schools”, said a spokesperson for the group made up of principals from Dungannon, Cookstown and Armagh.
“The statement issued by the Bishops presents a clear and unequivocal position on the issue and sets out a vision for the development of a network of high achieving, all ability Catholic post primary schools.
“We share this vision and pledge to work together with our colleagues in the post primary sector to achieve this. We especially welcome the inclusion in the statement of a time bound process for the phasing out of selection by testing.
“It is now time for everyone within Catholic education to unite around our agreed values and principles and to work together for the good of all the pupils in our schools.”
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Tuesday 21 May 2013
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