Give much of our focus on education reform in Northern Ireland there’s a fascinating piece on the front page of the Irish Times today, which notes that whilst the private grind schools in the Republic no longer predominate at the top of the league table. Though it should be noted that the grind schools have an open enrolment policies. It’s the growing fee paying and Gaelscoil sectors that dominate the tracks into university:
Today’s list also tracks students going to college in Britain. Schools like St Columba’s and Wesley College in Dublin, many of whose students have traditionally gone on to further study abroad, are ranked highly. Schools along the Border are also given credit for students attending higher education in Northern Ireland.
The new list underlines the dominance of fee-paying schools and Gaelscoileanna when it comes to progression to third level in Dublin. Of the top 30 feeder schools in Dublin, only one – Muckcross Park in Donnybrook – is non fee-paying and non-Gaelscoil.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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