Together towards Tomorrow: Discussion Paper

1. Together towards Tomorrow: Discussion Paper Catholic post-primary education in Derry

2. Background • NICCE Project Board Areas Reports Feb 2012 • Monsignor Martin asked by primary and secondary principals to produce “fresh ideas” to promote aims of Derry City Project Area • “Together Towards Tomorrow” Paper launched in the weeks following Project Report

3. Recommendations • Le Cheile partnership • Ending of Academic Selection • Sixth Form College(s) • Co-education and new admissions criteria

4. Recommendations • 1. Le Cheile partnership • Partnership of city’s post-primary schools driven by common vision for Catholic Education • Meetings of post-primary principals, reporting back to Boards of Governors • Close links with Catholic primary schools • No additional tier of management

5. Recommendations • 1. Le Cheile partnership • Aims to provide high-quality education for all, irrespective of their own faith, and tackle disadvantage and underachievement • Joint approaches to pastoral issues, staff welfare, community building, links with employers and FLC

6. Recommendations • Three stages • 2012-2015: Building relationships, shared good practice on pastoral issues, community links, joint mission and retreat work, curriculum analysis, careers provision • 2015-18: Joint student forum, prospectus, policies, celebrations of success, events and business case for funding • 2018-21: Joint staff appointments, shared emblem for uniforms, shared curriculum policy, shared governance

7. Recommendations • 2. Ending of academic selection as admissions criterion • Structured transition with the three grammar schools signposting their intention to move to a bi-lateral system selecting 66% of pupils for two years, then 45% for three years and a review at the end of five years.

8. Recommendations 3. Creation of Sixth Form Colleges(s) • A co-educational college of 1800 operating on one or two sites • All students ‘electing’ to attend • 5,200 11-16 pupils in remaining schools

9. Recommendations 4. Co-education and admissions criteria • All schools to be co-educational • Support for DENI admissions criteria • Parish-based and family admissions criteria preferred • Minimised competition among schools for admissions by “zoning”

10. For consideration • Post-primary Partnerships • Strength: Shared resources, broader curriculum, greater collaboration • Concern: Duplication of FLC work, perception that Shared Future is less important

11. For consideration • Academic Selection • Strength: Argument that it will tackle social disadvantage and provide better education in comprehensive system • Concern: No evidence for above, parental choice negated, reduction of grammar places for Catholic children

12. For consideration • Sixth Form College • Strength: Caters for all-ability , provides broader curricular choice, opportunity for Catholic spiritual development • Concern: Single anonymous institution

13. For consideration • Co-education and Admissions Criteria • Strength: Mixed education better preparation for third-level and for life, new criteria develops parish and favours family, proximity to school • Concern: Counter to parental choice, more socially divisive

14. Consultation • Invites comment and feedback by 31st May 2012