INTO warn against 'league tables'

Performance league tables based on school inspectors’ reports would create genuine fear among primary teachers, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said today.

General Secretary John Carr said cherry picking information from reports gave biased comparisons of schools across the country without showing the whole picture.

Mr Carr said: “There is a danger that publication has the potential to allow competition to creep in, in a biased manner.

“It is cherry picking certain aspects of the report rather than looking at the whole report.”

He added: “The experience in England in publishing school reports is that it has had a damaging effect on aspects of the education system.”

The High Court yesterday upheld a decision by the Information Commissioner (IC) to release inspectors’ reports on five Dublin primary schools.

The Department of Education had refused access to the reports two years ago. But under the Freedom of Information Act 1997 the reports may be released.

There are fears that releasing the reports will allow academic comparisons of schools.

The INTO claimed pupils in affluent areas often had more support in the local community than those from areas troubled by unemployment, poor housing and lack of amenities.

Mr Carr said there was a fear that teachers would bear the brunt of poor performance in league tables when in fact wider socio-economic issues played a greater part.

The INTO said it was not an attempt to avoid scrutiny, but there was an issue of confidence between teachers and inspectors and the strong working relationship between the groups could be lost.

He said: “The Irish experience was one of top quality cooperation between teachers and inspectors and that has enhanced the work of both.

“This could be damaged when it gets into the public domain,” he added.

Barney Sheedy, Principal of Scoil Choilm, Crumlin, argued in the High Court that releasing the reports would allow academic performance to be compared, which is forbidden under Irish law.

The Information Commissioner said the reports in question did not hold specific references to the academic achievements of pupils.

No rankings were awarded to the schools involved in the reports. But the IC accepted subjective comparisons could be drawn after thorough analysis of the reports.

Release of the reports is subject to an appeal in the Supreme Court.