The school system in NORTHERN IRELAND


1. Education in Northern Ireland
2. The funding and regulation of schools
3. The assessment of schools
4. The assessment of pupils
5. Types of school in the state sector


Education in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's education system has an extremely complex structure. There are 10 official bodies involved in the management and administration of the system as well as a number of voluntary bodies that play a significant role.

Secondary education is largely selective with pupils going to grammar schools or secondary schools according to academic ability. There is also a large voluntary school sector and Catholic maintained schools.

There has been significant growth in the development and provision of integrated education throughout Northern Ireland. Integrated education is the initiative to bring together in one school pupils, teachers and governors from Catholic and Protestant traditions.


The funding and regulation of schools


Government departments
The Department of Education in Northern Ireland oversees the central administration of education in Northern Ireland. It is responsible for:

Education and Library Boards
There are five Education and Library Boards, which are the local education authorities and library authorities for their areas. They ensure that there are enough schools of all types to meet the needs of their area. They fund controlled schools and meet the running costs of maintained schools. Other responsibilities include:

Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools promotes and co-ordinates Catholic education in Northern Ireland. It is responsible for the employment of teachers in Catholic maintained schools and for a number of other, mainly advisory, functions. It is funded by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education
This body promotes integrated education and facilitates the establishment of integrated schools. These bring together in one school, children, parents, teachers and governors from Catholic, Protestant and other traditions. The schools are all-ability and follow the statutory curriculum. The council negotiates with education department to facilitate the creation of new schools and to assist existing schools that wish to transform to integrated status. It is funded by the education department and the Integrated Education Fund.

How exactly funding for individual schools works
Funding and decision-making is given to schools under a Local Management of Schools scheme. The funding formula, set by the Department of Education, is based on factors such as pupil numbers, size of school and social and educational needs.

The Education and Library Boards will also distribute specific grants to schools like those required under the School Improvement Programme. There are a small number of Irish Medium schools which may receive grant aid from the Department of Education if they meet certain criteria.



Board of governors
Where funding and decision-making is delegated to schools, the board of governors have an important role to play. Parent representatives sit on the board. The board is responsible for the main policy decisions within schools including:

In practice, much of this comes down to head teachers. Governing bodies take largely a strategic role. They will set the aims and objectives for a school and monitor progress.
 

 


The assessment of schools


DEETI: school inspections
School inspections in Northern Ireland are carried out by the Department of Education’s Education and Training Inspectorate. This body aims to monitor, inspect and report on standards of learning and teaching. They then report to the Department of Education and publish reports for parents with recommendations for improvement.

League tables
After consultation with teachers, schools, parents and unions the Department of Education decided to drop league tables in 2001. Instead, schools publish results and achievements in their individual prospectuses in the hope that this will give a better overall picture of the school.


The assessment of pupils


Key stages
Compulsory education in Northern Ireland lasts from ages four to 16. It is divided into four key stages:

Key stage 1 – ages four to eight
Key stage 2 – ages eight to 11
Key stage 3 – ages 11 to 14
Key stage 4 – ages 14 to 16

The Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
The curriculum in Northern Ireland is set by the Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessments. It is responsible for:

Religious education is required for all pupils as part of the basic curriculum. They must have the opportunity to take part in daily collective worship, but parents can withdraw their children from both of these, if they wish.

 

Types of school in the state sector


Pre-school education
Nursery education is provided in nursery schools and in nursery classes attached to primary schools. Northern Ireland has received extra money from the European Union Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation to increase pre-school education. Eventually the government wants all nursery-age children in Northern Ireland to have a place in a pre-school.

Primary education
Pupils are assessed at key stages 1 and 2 (ages eight and 11). The 11+ examination has been retained in Northern Ireland, and on the basis of two set tests, children are selected for grammar or non-grammar secondary schools. However, this process is currently under review and the working groups should report back to the education minister by October 2003.

Secondary education
Admissions to secondary schools are controlled by the individual schools, which have their own criteria. Parents can appeal to the education and library board or to the Department of Education but this is not a formal procedure.

Although most boards run selective school entry, the Southern Education and Library Board provides a comprehensive two-tier non-selective system for secondary entry at 11 and 14 years of age.

Controlled: Controlled schools are owned and funded by the Education and Library Boards although boards of governors are increasingly taking control. The education board employs teaching and non-teaching staff but here too they are relinquishing responsibility to governors. The role of the board is to plan provisions for schools, employ teachers and meet recurrent costs. These are mainly Protestant schools and the church is represented on the board of governors.

Catholic Maintained: These schools are owned by the Catholic church through a system of trustees. They are managed by a board of governors. Regular costs are met by the Education and Library Boards and they are responsible for employing non-teaching staff. Teachers are employed by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools.

Other Maintained: These are owned by the Protestant church through a system of trustees and they are managed by a board of governors. Regular costs are met by the Education and Library Board who also employ the non-teaching staff.

Voluntary Grammar: These are owned by the school trustees and are managed by a board of governors, who employ all the staff. Regular costs are funded by the Department of Education.

Grant Maintained Integrated: These are usually partially owned by trustees and managed by a board of governors who employ all staff. Regular costs are met by the Department of Education.

Special Needs
Under the 1986 Education and Libraries (NI) Order, Education and Library Boards have to provide education for pupils with special educational needs up to the age of 19. They can be taught in mainstream primary and secondary schools but there are also separate special units for some students.

 

 

sources & credits:

1. text was extracted from The School System in Northern Ireland © BBC 2006