Every Child an Equal Child The Challenge for Education Equality Commission for Northern Ireland 8th

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Every Child an Equal Child The Challenge for
EducationEquality Commission for Northern
Ireland8th Annual Conference, 12 November
2008Gavin BoydChief Executive
DesignateEducation Skills Authority (ESA)
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Creation of ESA

• On 1 April 2009
• ESA will be established
• 9 Legacy organisations will be dissolved
• Frontline services of NICIE and CnaG will
  transfer to ESA
• Operational services currently in the Department
  of Education will transfer to ESA

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Ministers Vision for RPA in Education

• Change is only worthwhile if it helps all our
  young people to realise their full potential,
  ensures that every school is a good school, and
  that every learner is given a fair and equal
  chance
• Caitríona Ruane, Belfast Telegraph, 29 April 08

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Equality Commission Statement October 2007

• too many children are born into a life which
  will struggle to give them an equal opportunity
  to play a full role in society and develop their
  talents to the full.
• Bob Collins, Chief Commissioner
• Education under-achievement 1 of 6 areas where
  key inequalities must be addressed
• Equality Commission Statement, 23 October 2007

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Why Change?

• Better educational and personal development
  outcomes
• Equality of access to educational services, eg,
  SEN, school transport, school meals
• Re-purposing of resources
• Clearer accountability

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We Can Improve Educational Outcomes

• 64 of pupils achieve 5 GCSEs A-C
• 52 of pupils achieve 5 GCSEs A-C
• (including English and Maths)
• 38 of socially disadvantaged pupils
• Huge variation in performance between schools

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PISA - Mean Scores for NI OECD Countries
NI has among the widest variations in performance
in pupils in maths, reading and science
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(No Transcript)
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Selective Post-Primary Schools

• Also a wide variation in performance
• GCSEs
• 2007 achieving 7 GCSEs A-C
• ranged from 70 - 100
• A Levels
• 2007 - achieving 3 A Levels at A-C ranged from
  42 - 91

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Primary Schools

• Free School Meals KS2 achieving level 4
• School 1 76 Eng 10.5,
• Maths 10.5
• School 2 73 Eng 93.8 Maths 93.8

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Why Change?

• Better educational outcomes
• Better personal development opportunities
• Equality of access to excellent provision
• Greater focus on the pupil