Parents 'blackmail principals over grammar school tests'

Some faculty principals in Ireland are existence blackmailed into providing preparation for pupils planning to sit late grammer entrance tests, it was claimed today.
Seamus Searson, district organiser of the NASUWT and secretary of the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council (NITC), said parents are telling them that whether they don't coach the tests then they testament share their children to another school.
"This is an impossible position to place a principal in and may expose him or her to legal commotion for failing to educate the revised curriculum," he said.
Mr Searson was speaking closest a clambake this week between NITC and the Assembly's education committee.
The deputation, representing all the recognised teacher unions, urged politicians to come in sync to employment in relation to a compromise impression which would receive schools outside of the in fashion unregulated system.
Most grammar schools plan to fix entrance exams this autumn to halt their anterior year intake. However, secondary schools are feasible to replace non-academic admissions guidance allot by Education Minister Caitriona Ruane.
Avril Hall-Callaghan, Common Secretary of UTU and Stool of the NITC, said: "Some meaningful schools are in an impossible situation.
"They are activity advised to develop the revised curriculum, a curiculum which they are fully supportive of, however at the duplicate bout parents are expecting them to prepare pupils for a plethora of changed tests to accumulation entry to grammar schools.
"In some cases teachers are growth torn between what the Branch of Education and employing authorities are telling them they must complete and what boards of governors are expecting them to do.
"We must persuade the politicians that schools cannot be remodelled the battle-grounds - those battles must be resolved on ice mature political conversation with each dedicated to forging progress. Northern Ireland's education development must maneuver into the 21st century."
David Canning, Northern Ireland head of the state of NAHT and a substantial principal from Strabane, said: "We are calling on the politicians, still at this dilatory stage, to declamation to one another and catch a habit elsewhere of the galling spot schools are experiencing.
"We should be concentrating on what is first-rate for children, not on preserving institutions."
Andy Brown, senior vice-president of ATL and a grammar academy teacher from Ballymena, said it was criminal to expect teachers in valuable schools to prepare children for the proof in appendix to their unabridged teaching commitment. He besides said that teachers in grammars were in some cases going to be expected to supervise the tests.
"Where does that allowance those teachers provided there are legal challenges made?" he added.
Tony Carlin, a senior validated of the Irish State Teachers' Organisation, said he had been inundated with calls from members.
An NITC deputation is scheduled to just with the Education Minister within the coterminous fortnight.

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