Third Newry school announces support to ‘phase out’ academic selection
Newry Times can exclusively reveal that St Colman’s College, Newry is the latest local school to voice their support to ‘phase out’ academic selection for 11 year olds.
The Trustees of Violet Hill College, St Colman’s College, is the third school in Newry in recent weeks to back the bishop’s June 21st call for a gradual phasing out of academic selection. Under Cardinal Sean Brady’s plans, Catholic grammar schools are being asked to admit at least one out of every four pupils without having to sit the Post Primary Transfer Consortium’s GL Assessment test.
Speaking on behalf of the Newry school, The Trustees of Violet Hill College said they would like to take the opportunity to voice their intention to ‘move away from academic selection’ at Post-Primary School Level.
Speaking to Newry Times, a spokesperson for the Violet Hill College Trustees said:
“We wish to positively endorse the call by the Northern Bishops to phase out academic selection based on the approach outlined in the recent Bishop’s statement and on the basis that locally all Newry Grammar schools act in unison.”
“Furthermore we welcome the Catholic Bishops call for all trustees to engage with one another at this time of change. It is our hope that all Catholic Schools will work together towards a more inclusive form of education.”
The Bishop of Dromore, Dr. John McAreavey welcomed the decision of the Trustees from Violet Hill College and said that he looked forward to discussing with all local Grammar Schools the way forward. Bishop McAreavey also praised the leadership of the Sisters of Mercy, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust and now Violet Hill College for responding to the Northern Bishops call.
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