New management authority considered for controlled schools sector

A delivery group tasked with developing a new management authority to support the controlled schools’ sector has been announced.

The sector comprises almost half the schools in Northern Ireland including nursery, special, primary, secondary, grammar, integrated and Irish medium, directly controlled by the Education Authority through school boards of governors.

A number of other school sectors have their own managing authorities.

Education Minister Paul Givan told the Stormont Assembly earlier that he felt the Education Authority had “failed” the controlled sector.

Responding to a question from DUP MLA Maurice Bradley, Mr Givan said: “I do regret that I believe in many respects, the Education Authority has failed controlled schools.

“As a result of the structures that exist, they have become the poor relations within education and that needs to change. They need equitable, effective support.”

He paid tribute to the work of the Controlled Schools Support Council with “limited resources and no statutory powers”.

“The recent Independent Review of Education report highlighted the complicated systems for school management which are in particular, sub optimal for the controlled sector and proposed that sectors should be supported with greater consistency and equity,” he said.

Mr Givan later announced the establishment of a delivery and implementation group to lead in the development of a management authority to support the controlled schools’ sector.

It is to be chaired by Mark Baker, currently chief executive of the Controlled Schools’ Support Council, and will also include Richard Pengelly, chief executive of the Education Authority as well as Ronnie Armour, deputy Secretary at the Department of Education.

Mr Givan said in the statement: “Controlled schools are a core part of our education system, comprising almost half of all school categories across Northern Ireland including nursery, special, primary, secondary, grammar, integrated and Irish medium schools.

“I am committed to working collaboratively with schools, the Education Authority and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council to deliver effective and equitable support and management for the sector in both the short and long term.

“I want this work to commence without delay and I have asked Mark Baker to report back to me with proposals by the end of December 2024.”

A teachers trade union has asked Mr Givan to explain further his comments.

Justin McCamphill, NASUWT national official said it was “shocking to hear the minister tell the Northern Ireland Assembly today that ‘in many respects the Education Authority has failed Controlled Schools’”.

“It is now incumbent on the Minister to set out how exactly he believes the Education Authority has failed controlled schools and the precise impact that this has had on children and young people.

“Even if true, the answer to the alleged failure cannot be to create further duplication in the education system.”

Mr McCamphill called for the establishment of a “single overarching employing body”.

He said that would “improve industrial relations, reduce wasteful duplication, promote operational efficiency and ensure the release of funding to support the improvement of front-line service delivery, a more developed non-teaching school workforce and a greater focus on enabling teachers to focus on teaching and learning.”