In 2007 old and new collided. Our church-based school system struggled to cope with the demands of newcomer families. There was more money sloshing around, but there were still overcrowded classrooms and underfunded schools. Seán Flynn, Education Editor reviews the education year

The INTO's class size campaign took everyone - including Minister for Education Mary Hanafin - by surprise

There were plenty of scepticism when the INTO made class size the big issue this year. Mary Hanafin and the media reckoned it was not a big issue but the parents of Ireland thought otherwise. More than 18,000 people attended public meetings on the issue all over the country. In the feverish pre-election atmosphere, this pushed the class size issue to the top of the education agenda.

The controversy was bad news for Mary Hanafin who was forced onto the defensive. But it was a forceful reminder of the power of the INTO lobbying machine in every parish and village in the land.

Mary Hanafin remained in the Department of Education

Hanafin had been widely tipped to take an economic portfolio this year and she began to emerge as a serious candidate for the future leadership of the party - and the country.

In the event, the post-election reshuffle saw Hanafin remain in what she termed her "perfect job", one which combines her twin passions of education and politics.

Since then there has been no sign that her appetite for the job has faded. On the contrary, she is still the most visible education minister for a generation. She has already made a very strong impression on the sector. Teachers, in particular, admire her natural empathy with the sector. And she has managed to deliver far more resources for education.

But things could get worse before they get better. The Minister's capacity to deliver another round of huge spending increases was curtailed by last week's Budget. So, there could be a greater stress on reform and innovation as Mary Hanafin ponders how she might leave a strong footprint on the education sector.

The Balbriggan school crisis embarrassed the entire education sector

It was the biggest education story of the year - the report by RTÉ's Education Correspondent Emma O'Kelly on African parents struggling to find a school for their children in north Dublin.

It was a story that forced everyone to ponder how our Church-dominated education system could be adapted to meet the needs of a changing Ireland.

In response, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, envisaged a situation in which the Catholic Church might divest itself of some schools. His thoughtful response to the issues raised by the controversy was much praised.

The controversy also exposed the lamentable level of planning for school provision by the Department and by the local authorities. This would become a recurring feature of the year. New communities in the Dublin commuter belt and elsewhere moved into new estates but someone has forgot to plan for schools (see opposite page).

The culture of secrecy in our schools was blown away

A revolution of sorts is taking place in Irish schools. Where parents once struggled for any crumb of information, there is now a blizzard of information coming their way.

This year marked the beginning of standardised school testing at primary level. The days when the teacher would told you John or Mary were doing "grand" are gone. These days, the teacher must tell you how our son or daughter is performing in relation to his/her peer group. And any sign of learning difficulty must be identified and addressed.

At post-primary level, the school inspection reports which used to be effusive about every school and every teacher, are slowly becoming more robust and more critical. Over time they will become a very useful resource for parents.

Meanwhile the annual school league tables, published by this and other newspapers, have become an accepted part of the school year, eagerly anticipated by parents and examined carefully by every principal in the State.

Irish universities soared in the world rankings

It was unexpected but still a very peasant surprise; Irish universities surged to new heights in the prestigious ranking by the Times Higher Education Supplement.

The news was best for Trinity, now seen as the 53rd best university in the word. But UCD roared into the top 200 while DCU made it into the top 300.

The improved rankings were very good news for the so-called reformers in the university sector, led by UCD president Hugh Brady. Here was tangible evidence that those painful reforms - which involved rationalising faculties and departments - are reaping dividends.

With TCD Provost John Hegarty adopting a relatively low profile, Brady remains the most influential and the most divisive figure in education. The Brady agenda - his impatient demand for higher standards and more "output" is - for good or ill - shaping the modern day third-level sector.

Elsewhere, DCU and NUI Maynooth emerged as two ambitious, hungry universities, determined to make a real impact on the sector. UL scored a spectacular coup when it won a postgraduate school in medicine. In the process, the young pretender greatly irritated the old medical guard at UCD, TCD and UCC.

At UCC itself, the retirement of controversial former president Gerry Wrixon and his replacement by the avuncular Michael Murphy marked the end of the long-running civil war on campus.

Four Protestant schools took legal action over the redeployment scheme

It is a tussle which is being monitored by every school principal in the State - the battle between the Protestant schools and the Department over redeployment.

The schools - including Wesley and St Andrew's - object to a new redeployment scheme forcing them to accept teachers from school that have closed - without an interview. They also claim lack of proper consultation on the redeployment agreement.

The Department intends to fight the schools vigorously in the courts, arguing that they signed up to the deal as part of the national pay agreement.

With both sides digging in, this confrontation is bitter and potentially ugly. Some accuse the schools of over-playing their hand, while others say the Department is undermining the authority of boards of management to recruit the best. The entire education sector is waiting for one side or the other to blink first.

The Leaving Cert was partially reformed

It has been a long time in coming but finally this year something was done to ease the appalling burden placed on Leaving Cert students. Last June, some students were in the exam hall for over 27 hours in the course of the first week.

To her credit, Mary Hanafin wanted to make the exam less of a test of stamina. But her ambitious plans for a two-tier exam - including beginning the Leaving on a Saturday in May - hit the buffers. She blamed those awkward school manager; they blame her for a lack of "adequate" consultation on the issue.

Hanafin pressed on regardless and won agreement on a reshaped exam which will lessen the writing burden and give most students at least one half-day off in the first week of exams next June. The new timetable is imperfect especially for students of home economics and some science subjects. But it is an example of what can be achieved when a Minister gives the student interest the priority it deserves.

The points race was officially pronounced dead

CAO points levels continued to decline in most disciplines. The real battle now is the desperate scramble for places between third- level colleges. With the exception of the "blue-chip" courses in medicine and related areas, most students can secure the college place they cherish.

The successful introduction of postgraduate medicine in UL suggests that the points race may be ending for all disciplines. The Minister has signalled that the template used for medicine could be applied in other postgraduate programmes across a whole range of other high-points course. Expect news of this in 2008.

The crisis in maths and science continued unabated

It has been a long-running sore in Irish education and there few signs of improvement. This year, close to 4,000 students failed ordinary level maths, making them ineligible for many college courses.

Meanwhile, the number taking higher-level maths, physics and chemistry continues to disappoint. Fewer than 7,000 of the 50,000 students sitting their Leaving Cert this year gained Grade C or above in higher level maths - the minimum requirement for third-level courses in engineering and related area.

The latest OECD report showing no improvement in our standing in maths added to the gloom. And there is little sign of a quick fix. Here's a prediction - next year the Department will come under increasing pressure from business to introduce some sort of incentive scheme such as bonus CAO points for maths and science.

Some very influential figures in Irish education departed (or prepared to depart)

An unusually high number of senior education figures departed this year or signalled their intention to retire shortly.

These include Gerry Wrixon, the former UCC head who surprised everyone (not least Mary Hanafin and Mary Harney) by choosing the exit door only a short time after the Cabinet had backed a special extension of service for him.

Other to leave this year included Fionnuala Kilfeather, the visionary former chief executive of the National Parents Council (Primary) and Michael McGrath, the hugely influential former head of the group representing university presidents - the Irish Universities Association.

Two other senior figures also announced their intention to retire. Mary McGlynn is leaving as head of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, the group she has done so much to develop and grow.

At the TUI, their rogue-ish but often brilliant general secretary Jim Dorney is stepping down after 25 years at the helm. Dorney was a key player in many national pay deals. He helped to trim the radical edge of the group often called "USI for grown-ups". Successive governments admired him for this, but some left wingers were not so sure.

Asked why he was leaving Dorney said: "It's time to small the roses."