Teachers fear change in pupil relationships

Members of both teacher unions picketing at Mayfield Community School were resolute yesterday in their opposition to marking their own students for Junior Certificate.

The small school of 320 students caters for many teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds in the northside suburb of Cork City. Staff say their relationships with them are crucial.

Olwyn Brady, an art teacher at the school for 15 years, said teachers assessing their own students — as currently proposed — would change that small community relationship within the school.