Feeder school data is misleading and old-fashioned

Narrow framing of 'success' in education is based on a flawed understanding of how modern schools work — and how children really thrive

The continued prominence of feeder school rankings rests on an assumption that the primary purpose of second-level education is facilitating CAO entry to higher education, something seen as likely to improve future financial and social prospects. File photo

Each year, feeder school data ranks Irish second-level schools according to the proportion of students who progress to higher education via the Central Applications Office (CAO) system. 

These tables appear to offer parents an objective basis for comparing schools. In practice, however, they provide a misleading account of what modern schools do and how young people now build successful futures.