The decision by Blackrock College to post details of its Leaving Certificate results on its website is not a new phenomenon, since the school authorities have been giving this information to their alumni and school community for some time.
The exercise was repeated last week when Blackrock published its results for the class of 2004. The scale of the information about its examination performance will add to the hotly-contested debate about league tables in recent years.
The publication of results, which show very high CAO points scores, gives vital information to those with an interest in the college. It also acts, the college says, as an incentive to Leaving Certificate students, who know what can be achieved in the examination. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals appears less enthusiastic about the publication of results. It says the publication of crude statistics could lead to a narrow focus on results as a measure of student success or school performance.
Blackrock's decision to publish results over recent years is, in their terms, an open attempt to give key information to parents. Like any institution which is doing well, it is anxious to trumpet the good news. There will be a suspicion in some quarters that schools such as Blackrock now believe themselves to be in a competitive race for the "best students" with grinds schools, which are becoming an increasingly popular option for parents. Publishing outstanding Leaving Certificate results like those achieved by Blackrock might be a useful way of reminding parents that their son can achieve a very high points score as well as a more rounded education in the school.
But, there are obvious dangers. Schools with selective enrolment policies and expensive fees could be compared with the "free" secondary sector which caters for students of all abilities and backgrounds. This could lead to a situation where schools are judged solely on their academic performance without reference to the wider, more holistic, education experience.
For all that, parents must be entitled to information on school performance. Deciding on a second-level school is one of the key choices made by parents. Most sensible parents are interested in sports, drama and other elements of school life. But they also want their child to achieve his or her academic potential. Schools are supposed to give examination information to parents under the Education Act but most are very reluctant. Given the current information vacuum, parents will cast around for any and every detail - be it school league tables in the media or such results on a school website.