LOCAL NEWS SOUTH Antrim MLA Danny Kinahan has welcomed the decision of Antrim Grammar School to accept both the AQE and GL exams for entry to Year 8. The Ulster Unionist education spokesperson made his comments following an article in the Antrim Guardian in which Antrim Grammar principal Hilary Woods defended the schools decision to accept pupils sitting both transfer tests as allowing students the widest possible choice, following criticism from local man Stephen Elliott, who queried why the school was adopting both tests and questioned the scoring methods of the two exams. “We are the only post-primary grammar school in Antrim town and people are leaving the town every day to go to schools elsewhere. I would much prefer that those children that are leaving the borough to go to schools elsewhere would consider coming to us, said Mrs Woods in November. “There are children sitting the GL tests at primary schools in Antrim who up until now have been ending up standing waiting for a bus to go elsewhere, she added. Mr Kinahan said that accepting both tests represents an eminently sensible decision. “If, as a result, it reduces the amount of pupils leaving the borough for their education, and if as a side effect it encourages more pupils from a Catholic background (who tend to sit the GL tests) to go to Antrim Grammar, then I openly welcome that as well, he said. Of course it would be better if there was only one official test for Year Sevens transferring to post primary schools, and it would be even better if there was political consensus on how to transfer pupils. “The fact that there is not, and the fact that there are two rival tests largely based on type of schools, is not the fault of any principal of any local school. The South Antrim MLA said he would be re-iterating his call for a single transfer test. “With unregulated tests becoming the norm over recent years, the state has effectively lost control over a key component in the delivery of education; something which remains completely unimaginable to many outside observers, he said. “No one should be happy with the current situation where we have thousands of 10 and 11 year olds facing an intensive four week period of Saturday morning transfer tests, with all the stress which that entails. “The old 11 plus transfer test was less than ideal, but it was the height of irresponsibility to do away with it without having an agreed system to replace it. Ironically, for all their occasional socialist pretensions, Sinn Fein has only succeeded in privatising the transfer test system. “We therefore reiterate our call for the introduction of a single test for a period of two years which will provide the breathing space to agree a new assessment process and finalise a lasting and fair replacement for the 11 plus. Antrimnow #Antrimnow #Antrim Antrim Guardian
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 20:46:11 +0000
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