News

Controlled schools sector gets new support body

ANOTHER new schools body is to be set up just months after the biggest streamlining of education administration in decades.

Tens of thousands of pounds have already been spent on creating a support body for non-Catholic schools.

The Controlled Schools' Support Council (CSSC) will start this year.

This week, the five area boards were merged into the Education Authority (EA) in the biggest overhaul of education administration since the 1970s.

Unions say it is only fair that the controlled sector should gain a support body similar to the Catholic, Irish-medium and integrated sectors.

They have questioned the timing, however, with work progressing when administration is being slimmed down and multi-million pound budget reductions are being made across the system. In addition, the EA is beginning life facing immediate cuts of £10 million.

The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) was established as an upper tier of management for Catholic schools in 1989 in response to concerns about under-achievement. It has responsibilities including raising standards and the employment of teachers.

The CSSC will not have the same type of responsibilities. It will provide an advocacy role and work with schools to develop and maintain a collective ethos including, where appropriate, a role in identifying, encouraging and nominating governors and in ensuring ethos is part of employment considerations.

It will also work with the EA to raise educational standards and will participate in the planning of the schools estate.

The Department of Education said a working group was created to support the CSSC's establishment. It has 11 members made up of Church representatives and the principals of controlled primary, post-primary and special schools.

This group was awarded funding of £66,000 to cover its work from October 2014 to March 2015. Further funding for the period April to the end of September 2015 is being assessed.

"It is anticipated that the CSSC will be established later in 2015," a spokesman said.

"An application for grant to establish the Controlled Schools' Support Council was received in November 2014. Further information has been sought from the working group. On receipt of all necessary supporting

information the department will complete an appraisal of the application and secure the necessary approvals for funding."

The boards of education of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Methodist Church in Ireland have all welcomed the body, saying it will correct a deficit in the education system which has existed for decades.

Gerry Murphy, northern secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, said he supported the creation of the CSSC, given similar bodies were already in existence.

"It seems only fair that if Catholic maintained schools have a support body, then the controlled sector should have one too," he said.

"However, in light of the fact that the new Education Authority will find itself £9.7m short to begin with, you have to wonder if another new body is an immediate priority."