News

Thousands of pupils `ineligible' for GCSEs

In the last three school years, almost 5,000 pupils have been `ineligible' for GCSEs
In the last three school years, almost 5,000 pupils have been `ineligible' for GCSEs In the last three school years, almost 5,000 pupils have been `ineligible' for GCSEs

THE secondary schools with the highest number of pupils not taking GCSE exams, can today be revealed.

Thousands of pupils are excluded every year meaning they are invisible from government statistics designed to gauge performance.

In the last three years, almost 5,000 have been `ineligible', the majority of them in non-grammar schools, and the trend is growing.

Recognising the problem, the Department of Education set up a working group, which has met just three times in 15 months.

The Irish News today publishes a list of the 25 non-grammar schools with the highest proportion of GCSE withdrawals over a three year period.

In some cases, more than one quarter of GCSE-age pupils did not sit exams.

However, almost every school can officially state no one is leaving without a single GCSE, due to a quirk in how exam data is published.

Only pupils who sit exams are included in Summary of Annual Examination Results (SAER) returns and, therefore, official GCSE pass rates. Ineligible pupils are not included in these statistics, which are used to compile performance tables.

Almost one in every 10 non-grammar pupils were SAER ineligible between 2011 and 2014.

Counting every young person, whether they sat GCSEs or not, would see pass rates fall.

It has long been claimed that schools remove poorer-performing pupils from exams to prevent pass rates from being affected adversely.

The assembly education committee heard this trend was increasing and it "may be in some schools' interests to have better outcomes". Former chairman Mervyn Storey said: "I do not want to say `manipulate the figures', because that may be too blunt."

Some schools have accused others, albeit in private, of withdrawing too many pupils. Every school asked by the Irish News about ineligible numbers provided valid reasons for every pupil.

Pupils can be ineligible for reasons including serious illness, including mental health issues, and pregnancy. They can also be excluded if they transfer schools, have a statement of special educational needs or "serious welfare issues".

Over the three year period, 1,812 pupils with statements were ineligible. A further 1,042 took no exams due to them being placed in the Eotas scheme, which makes provision for children with social, emotional behavioural, medical or other issues who, without it, cannot access suitable education.

There were 575 with "serious welfare issues that culminated in the inability to sit any examinations" while 531 were withdrawn by their parents.

There have been calls for the Department of Education to include all pupils in published results, even if this proves to be a deflationary exercise.

In 2011/12, Drumragh Integrated College in Omagh appeared on a table published by the Irish News when a total of 72 percent of pupils achieved five good GCSEs.

The eligible cohort was 86, although there were an additional 22 ineligible pupils in the year group meaning the actual proportion achieving five or more A*-C grades would have been lower if all 108 were counted.

Principal Nigel Frith said the 22 were withdrawn for reasons including statements, Eotas schemes and welfare issues.

"Figures like these would vary from year to year, and they dropped last year because of new criteria and a shift to identifying students in June," he added.

St Paul's in Bessbrook was among the best-performing non-grammar schools based on its 2012/13 GCSE results - 90 per cent achieved five or more GCSEs at A* to C.

That year 177 of 197 eligible pupils reached the five GCSE benchmark and officially 0 per cent achieved no GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. Including 52 ineligible pupils that year would see the GCSE pass rate fall to 71 per cent.

Principal Jarlath Burns said GCSEs did not suit every pupil, and many took part in a successful alternative education programme, with most leaving school with GCSE equivalent qualifications.

The School Training Education Partnership Scheme (Steps) was developed for schools in south Armagh and Newry including St Paul's, St Joseph's High in Crossmaglen and Newry High School.

Mr Burns said it offered Year 12 pupils, who wished to opt out of the GCSE route, courses based upon vocational and occupational skills needed within the working environment. Steps offers formal lessons in an alternative environment in English, mathematics, ICT and subjects including motor vehicle repair, joinery, bricklaying and construction.

Mr Burns said pupils found Steps beneficial both as a means of learning and acquiring skills they needed for their future careers.

"It has been spectacular for us and the other schools in taking pupils who would otherwise be `neets' and giving them proper, focussed help," he said.

"The pupils do their essential skills which is the equivalent of a C at GCSE, lads who were disengaged with school are achieving their level 1 or level 2 in some cases. We nearly have a 100 per cent success rate."

While legislation dictates that schools should report exam results of all pupils, the Department of Education has historically provided reasons under which some can be recorded as ineligible.

Given that an increasing proportion of Year 12 pupils were being reported as ineligible, a working group was formed in January 2014 with a remit to reviewing SAER ineligibility criteria.

"Membership of the SAER Working Group, chaired by Statistics and Research Team (SRT), consists of relevant DE policy leads, ETI and C2k representatives along with two non-grammar school principals," a spokeswoman said.

"The group has convened on three separate occasions since its inception in January 2014. As the work of the group is expected to continue on an ongoing basis, there are no plans to publish interim reports."