Primary School patronage and the VEC.....

[Stroke]

Interesting new model of patronage on primary schools by VEC was piloted in D.15 in 2008, now being rolled out outside of Dublin.....

Revolutionary new school model on cards for Johnstown - News - Roundup - Articles - Meath Chronicle

Navan principals to meet VEC on new community national school - News - Navan - Articles - Meath Chronicle

Comments from the local catholic church representative about the project, none from the other denominations about the allegedly multi-denominational model, and two different versions of the same story in the same newspaper in the same week. Strange situation in a town where there are already an adequate number of schools to meet the current demand for primary school places, and not enough for second level....

[lostexpectation]

is it because the school rebuilding projects were stalled that the existing schools in need of repair havn't processed recently as quickly as new schools

[nbgb]

I thought there were no more of these type of primary school to be built until the pilot ones in D15 were evaluated?

[concerned parent22]

I just want to complain about all the recent half page advertisements the VEC have been taking out in local Tallaght newspapers, since the news that 3 new primary schools are to be opened in this area over the next 2 years. Plus they have sent fliers asking for parents to pre-enrol in the proposed schools, to every creche in the Tallaght area. As a State operated, Government funded body, I would prefer it if public money wasn't wasted on such a large scale advertising campaign. If parents want a VEC school, they'll say so, without the need for a wasteful campaign. I'd prefer the money to be spent on education.

[Darren J. Prior]

We were supposed to know by last month at the latest what new primary schools are going to be built in the state over the next few years!

[patslatt]

I just want to complain about all the recent half page advertisements the VEC have been taking out in local Tallaght newspapers, since the news that 3 new primary schools are to be opened in this area over the next 2 years. Plus they have sent fliers asking for parents to pre-enrol in the proposed schools, to every creche in the Tallaght area. As a State operated, Government funded body, I would prefer it if public money wasn't wasted on such a large scale advertising campaign. If parents want a VEC school, they'll say so, without the need for a wasteful campaign. I'd prefer the money to be spent on education.

VECs waste money on long leases for buildings they will give up when supposedly the government merges them. So don't be surprised at them spending on advertising.

It would be better if Educate Together and other voluntary organisations were sponsors of primary schools instead of the bureaucratic VECs.

[RainyDay]

It would be better if Educate Together and other voluntary organisations were sponsors of primary schools instead of the bureaucratic VECs.

What's the basis for your evaluation of the respective patronage abilities of the VECs and ET?

[imokyrok]

I hope the primary VECs do a better job of inclusion than our local secondary VEC which makes little or no effort to differentiate itself from any Catholic secondary school. In fact if anything it's more dogmatic than the local Catholic secondary school in my experience having had children in both. And the VECs don't have sufficient guidelines to encourage inclusion. Actually if they have any guidelines I have't been able to find them.

[Stroke]

Officially the VEC schools are still a pilot scheme, and are not subject to the same PTR's that the other schools in the state are subject to.

Since I first raised this matter 2 years ago, the school in question has increased number of pupils on its roll from 7 to double figures, now has 2 teaching staff and an SNA AFAIK, and is still renting a bar in a rugby club. Meanwhile, the rest of the schools in the town have seent he abolition of ALL Resources Teachers for Travellers (approx 6 posts), together with a number of mainstream class teachers, several Learning Support and EAL teachers. Legislation was passed inthe last Dáil allowing for the formation of proper representative BOM's forcing the VEC to allow parents a say in the patronage and ethos of the school, not sure if this has been enacted by the VEC's

How did this expensive pilot scheme avoid the Troika plan? Looking a the proposed new schools programme, there are a number of VEC schools proposed for Dublin & Cork AFAIK....

[imokyrok]

Officially the VEC schools are still a pilot scheme, and are not subject to the same PTR's that the other schools in the state are subject to.

Since I first raised this matter 2 years ago, the school in question has increased number of pupils on its roll from 7 to double figures, now has 2 teaching staff and an SNA AFAIK, and is still renting a bar in a rugby club. Meanwhile, the rest of the schools in the town have seent he abolition of ALL Resources Teachers for Travellers (approx 6 posts), together with a number of mainstream class teachers, several Learning Support and EAL teachers. Legislation was passed inthe last Dáil allowing for the formation of proper representative BOM's forcing the VEC to allow parents a say in the patronage and ethos of the school, not sure if this has been enacted by the VEC's

How did this expensive pilot scheme avoid the Troika plan? Looking a the proposed new schools programme, there are a number of VEC schools proposed for Dublin & Cork AFAIK....

The Educate Together model has proven itself very successful at delivering quality education in an inclusive environment. Why doesn't the VEC work with them rather than trying to reinvent the wheel?