This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7927425.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Heads reluctant to coach for test | Heads reluctant to coach for test |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Lisburn primary school heads have told grammar schools they are reluctant to do extra coaching for pupils taking unregulated transfer tests. | Lisburn primary school heads have told grammar schools they are reluctant to do extra coaching for pupils taking unregulated transfer tests. |
| "We believed that tutoring and preparation was not necessary," said Stanley Poots, head of Dromara Primary. | "We believed that tutoring and preparation was not necessary," said Stanley Poots, head of Dromara Primary. |
| "However, at a recent meeting there was a slight change in that and we were being invited to prepare our children by using the old tests." | "However, at a recent meeting there was a slight change in that and we were being invited to prepare our children by using the old tests." |
| The primary heads met local grammar school head earlier this week. | The primary heads met local grammar school head earlier this week. |
| They have also said they will not do any administration for the entrance exams, devised by some grammar schools to replace the 11 plus, or hand out registration forms for them. | They have also said they will not do any administration for the entrance exams, devised by some grammar schools to replace the 11 plus, or hand out registration forms for them. |
| Mr Poots said the primary heads will meet again next week in an attempt to agree a policy. | |
| He said: "We as a group of principles will try to find a uniformed approach for the way forward. | |
| It's difficult to see how schools can refuse to prepare pupils even if they spend Saturdays or evenings doing it Maggie Taggart, BBC NI | |
| "We could all refrain from any form of coaching or could go our individual ways." | |
| The Catholic sector was also represented on the Lisburn Primary Principals Group, but are awaiting the outcome of a church working group on whether their grammar schools will continue academic selection. | The Catholic sector was also represented on the Lisburn Primary Principals Group, but are awaiting the outcome of a church working group on whether their grammar schools will continue academic selection. |
| BBC Northern Ireland Education Correspondent Maggie Taggart said primary schools are under increasing pressure from parents to provide coaching for the tests. | |
| "It's difficult to see how schools can refuse to prepare pupils even if they spend Saturdays or evenings doing it." |