Demand for multi-denominational education in Limerick 'not currently being met'
There are currently two Educate Together primary schools in Limerick, along with a single community national school
THE DEMAND for multi-denominational education in Limerick is “not currently being met,” according to Educate Together.
Educate Together stated that it welcomed the recent Department of Education and Youth (DEY) guidance to schools around the results of the Primary School Survey.
“The survey was the first of its kind in Ireland, giving parents the chance to have direct input on how their local school should be run,” an Educate Together spokesperson explained.
“Schools received their school specific survey results in June and have been asked to engage with parents and other members of the school community before deciding if they want to express interest in changing patronage.”
Recently, the closing date for schools to apply for patronage transfer was extended to November 30, to give schools more time to engage with the local community and consult with parents and families.
“According to the results, 40% of parents in religious-run schools nationally would prefer a multi-denominational primary school and 35% of families in County Limerick would prefer a multi-denominational education,” the spokesperson continued.
“These numbers contrast starkly with current school provision, whereby 95.1% of primary schools nationally remain under denominational control.
“Demand for multi-denominational / equality-based education in County Limerick is not currently being met.”
There are currently two Educate Together primary schools in Limerick, along with a single community national school.
“This means that of the 133 primary schools in the county, only 3 have a multi-denominational ethos,” the spokesperson explained.
“Parents in many parts of Limerick city and county have no choice other than to send their children to a denominational primary school.”
Edward Platt, schools development officer for Educate Together stated: “The data from the Primary School Survey has given schools an insight into what their parents want, but it doesn’t tell the full story. We are encouraging all schools to engage with the parents to get a more rounded view of what the school community wants and what their vision is for the future of the school. If your local school is consulting parents, we strongly encourage parents to get involved”.
The Department of Education and Youth recently published guidance for schools on how best to engage their school community.
All schools are being asked to take time to consult their parents, as the survey has offered a “unique opportunity” to have discussions on what parents want to see from their local school in the future.
Specifically, the department has advised that: “Schools know their communities best, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The suggestions below are intended to provide a structure for engagement while still allowing schools the flexibility to choose what works best for their community.
“A more detailed engagement process may be particularly important where survey results are very close, for example, where around half of respondents favour keeping the school’s current arrangement and around half favour a change.”
The government’s current action plan outlines the upcoming process for change:
- Schools have been asked to consult with their school community, using the Primary School Survey data to inform the conversation
- Primary school boards of management have been asked to hold a special meeting to discuss the survey and the opinions expressed by the school community
- Schools hoping to be involved in the first group of schools should communicate their interest to the DEY before the new November 30 deadline.
- Once the deadline has passed, the department will appoint facilitators to support schools in choosing a new patron and initiating the transfer process.
Educate Together is “enthusiastic” to support schools through the transfer process, having successfully transferred multiple schools to Educate Together patronage over the last decade.
Edward continued: “At the moment we are encouraging all schools to take this unique opportunity to examine the future they want for their local school. Once the deadline has passed and schools have expressed interest, we are very much looking forward to engaging with these schools and supporting them in patronage transfer. We are very excited to be able to engage with schools where demand for change exists and bring school choice to communities around Ireland.”
Limerick families seeking more information are encouraged to go to Educate Together’s website to find out more about the process of school patronage transfers: www.educatetogether.ie/reconfiguration.
The information from the Department of Education can be viewed online here.