Educate Together News Release November 19th 2007

Educate Together to Move into Second-level Education

In a statement released today, Educate Together has announced the start of its programme to extend its ethos into second level education.

The Rights of Parents and Children

When the first Educate Togther primary school opened in Dalkey thirty years ago, it was as result of a prolonged campaign by pioneering parents determined to claim their constitutional and human rights to choose a multi-denominational ethos for their children’s education. Since these rights do not cease when children reach the age of twelve, pressure has been mounting on Educate Together to expand its successful model into the post-primary sphere ever since.

Until now, groups of parents who have mobilised around the country in an attempt to establish Educate Together second-level schools have been frustrated in their efforts. In a context of powerful institutional structures which are resistant to change, the task facing parents is daunting. Educate Together now feels compelled to move to support, at a national level, parents’ various campaigns to claim their right to choice.

The Need for a New Approach

However, there is much more to this move than supporting parents. Educate Together believes that fundamental reform of second-level education in Ireland is long overdue. Irish society has been undergoing huge social, economic and demographic change in recent decades. Calls for a different approach to education; one which can better prepare young people for life in 21st century globalised Ireland; have come from bodies as diverse as the Combat Poverty Agency and Forfás. The need for an education system which promotes innovation and creativity, responsible citizenship, and social inclusion and cohesion has never been greater.

According to the extensive study into post-primary education being carried out by the Econmic and Social Research Institute(ESRI) and then National Council for Curriculum and Assessment(NCCA), students’ attitudes to all aspects of post-primary schooling become significantly less positive as they move up from primary through the junior years of post-primary school. Teachers report increasing problems with discipline throughout second-level schooling. There are concerns about the number of young Travellers and people from disadvantaged backgrounds who leave school with few or no qualifications. Employers complain that school-leavers lack critical thinking and other skills and the dropout rate at university is high, suggesting that many students are leaving school ill-prepared for what lies ahead.

There is a great deal of room for improvement in the current system and Educate Together believes that the core principles of its ethos; requiring multi-denominational, coeducational, child-centred and democratically run schools; provide a framework within which real progress can be made.

The Educate Together Ethos and the Post-primary Context

The particular multi-denominational ethos of Educate Together schools is one which has much to offer in a society in which ethnic and religious minorities have for too long been marginalised. In Educate Together schools, respect for cultural, religious and other diversity is promoted not by excluding or ignoring difference, and not by simply celebrating it in a tokenistic manner, but by exploring the differences that individual pupils and teachers bring to the school in an atmosphere of equality.

50% of second-level schools are voluntary secondary schools owned and controlled by religious organisations. However, this does not mean that the remaining 50% are multi-denominational in ethos. In most Community Schools and Community Colleges specific denominational activities are a normal part of school life.

While parents have the right to choose that their children opt out of religious activities, Educate Together believes that it is a breach of a student’s rights if he or she is to be systematically excluded from any part of the life of the school. All students are entitled to a full education, including the development of ethical, moral and religious understanding. This issue is glossed over in many second-level schools which are multi-denominational, or inter-denominational in name, but without a clearly articulated ethos.

The high proportion of Ireland’s second-level schools which are single-sex limits choice for parents who wish to choose a co-educational school for their children. The second principle of Educate Together’s ethos, that schools are co-educational, is based on principles of equality. It does not simply mean that boys and girls attend the same school; it means that the culture of the school is such that gender inequalities are challenged and there is a strong focus on equality in terms of academic, social and psychological outcomes.

Educate Together’s third core principle is that education is child-centred. It is widely accepted that learners of all ages learn in different ways and at different paces. While there has been change in both curriculum and teaching methodologies at primary level to reflect this, progress is not as evident at second-level. Inspectors’ reports across the range of subjects refer to the need for better recognition of different learning styles and more active learning approaches. While there are teachers and schools involved in excellent practice, there is a distance to go before a truly child (or learner)-centred approach is a reality across the board at second-level.

In Educate Together schools, the learner-centred principle applies to all decision-making; in every decision that is made in the school, the needs of the student must be paramount. This is not just good practice; it is necessary in every school, especially if the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004) is to be effectively implemented.

The last of Educate Together’s four principles is that schools should be democratically run. This principle has been well exercised at primary level and Educate Together schools around the country are managed in an environment of participation and discussion, rather than one of hierarchical control. There is a trend for parents to become less involved with their children’s education when they move to second-level. Given the need for parents to optimize communication at what can be a difficult time for their teenaged children, Educate Together believes that meaningful participation of students and parents in the decision-making in second-level schools should be a priority.

What Will an Educate Together Second-level School be Like?

Exactly what each Educate Together second-level school will be like, following this democratic principle, is a matter for each school community; the students, the parents and the teachers; with due regard for the wider community in which the school is situated. However, schools with an Educate Together ethos are likely to have certain characteristics in common.

The principles of equality and respect will permeate all aspects of school life. Students will not be treated as a troublesome group who must be controlled, but as individuals with valid contributions to make to their own learning and that of others. They will develop responsibility for their own learning, becoming resourceful lifelong learners and responsible contributors to society. Critical thinking, innovation and initiative will be nurtured and developed through all of the activities of the school.

Parents will be welcome in the school; not just to a meeting once a year to be told how best to support their children’s learning, but to participate in the life of the school in a meaningful way. Their views on all aspects of school life, including curriculum and pedagogy, will be valued and they will be encouraged to participate in the democratic process under which the school is managed.

Teachers will thrive in this active learning environment. Teaching in an Educate Together second-level school will be a rewarding professional experience. The inclusion of students in decision-making and the instilling of values of responsibility should minimize discipline issues. Continued professional development, both formal and informal, will be encouraged and teachers will have the opportunity to work together to evaluate and improve practices in the school on an ongoing basis.

The school will not operate as an isolated institution. Instead it will be an active participant in the various local, national and global communities of which it is a part. Relationships with other education providers and community organizations, including primary schools and youth groups, as well as further and higher education institutions, will be actively developed.

These are not unattainable ideals. An educational environment which instills confidence and respect for difference, as well as a passion for learning, exists at primary level. Educate Together feels it is high time that it existed at second-level.

Concrete Steps

In May 2007, the Annual General Meeting of Educate Together instructed the organisation to proceed with a programme of second-level education. In response, Educate Together has appointed a full-time Project Manager to lead this work. Emer Nowlan started work with Educate Together in October and presented the project outline at a General Meeting of Members of Educate Together on November 10th in Castleknock.

On January 26th, 2008, a special meeting of Educate Together members will be held at which the results of a detailed feasibility study carried out by Trinity College Dublin School of Education over the past year will be presented.