Should grammar schools be abolished by the government?
There is absolutely no way any government would abolish Grammar schools, because to do so would make it impossible for them to present statistics in which state schools could be made to appear anything but hopeless. Try eliminating grammars from school results listings.
What is the history of grammar schools?
Grammar schools have existed since the 16th Century, but the modern grammar school concept dates back to the Education Act 1944. This made secondary education after the age of 14 free. At the same time secondary education was reorganised into two basic types: There was a third type of school, the technical school - but very few were established.
Why did grammar schools decline in popularity in England?
Nevertheless, they declined in popularity owing to competition from the more practical academies. The name "grammar school" was adopted by public schools for children from 10 to 14 years of age, following a primary stage from 5 to 9 years of age.
What is the grammar schools debate?
The grammar schools debate is a debate about the merits and demerits of the existence of grammar schools in the United Kingdom.
Which government abolished grammar schools?
In 1998, the Blair government passed the 'School Standards and Framework Act' which forbade the establishment of new all-selective schools, and made provisions for local ballots to be held on the future of grammar schools.
Who got rid of grammar schools in UK?
In 1998, Labour's School Standards and Framework Act forbade the establishment of any new all-selective schools. It also made provisions for local ballots on the future of existing grammar schools. Only one such ballot has taken place since then.
When did the UK get rid of grammar schools?
1976The Tripartite System was largely abolished in England and Wales between 1965, with the issue of Circular 10/65, and the Education Act 1976. Most maintained grammar schools were amalgamated with a number of other local schools, to form neighbourhood comprehensive schools, though a few were closed.
Why are people against grammar schools?
Class bias Many opponents of the Tripartite System argue that the grammar school was antithetical to social levelling, that claims of raising social mobility were misleading, and that the intake of grammar schools is firmly middle class as evidenced by the low number of students on free school meals at grammar schools.
When did 11 plus stop in England?
There are now over 160 grammar schools in England, and although the 11 Plus test was officially disbanded in Northern Ireland in 2008, many of the 'ex-grammar schools' still select by ability, using the Transfer Test.
Does the 11 plus still exist?
In counties in which vestiges of the Tripartite System still survive, the eleven-plus continues to exist. Today it is generally used as an entrance test to a specific group of schools, rather than a blanket exam for all pupils, and is taken voluntarily.
Do grammar schools get more funding than state schools?
Grammar schools provide higher quality education than comprehensive schools. On average, they produce pupils with higher GCSE and A-level results. However, you may be shocked to hear that grammar schools normally receive less funding than comprehensive schools!
When did Scotland abolish the 11-plus?
At just 11 years old, your future could be sealed with no hope of a retrial. The exam was officially abolished across the UK in 1965 with the introduction of comprehensive education.
What is the difference between a normal school and a grammar school?
The difference between a grammar school and a private school Thus, the difference is that a grammar school is the only state-owned school that is allowed to accept and reject pupils based on intellectual ability, typically determined by the 11+ exam.
Do universities Favour grammar schools?
Grammar schools do nothing to boost the chances of their pupils getting into a top university, research suggests. However, private schools do bring some advantage, increasing the chances of youngsters taking a degree at an elite Russell Group institution.
Are grammar schools for rich people?
Analysts from the Education Policy Institute said: “Grammar schools are dominated by the most affluent, squeezing out the poorest. An expansion in selection is unlikely to benefit [ordinary working families] in the way that the government suggests.”
Are grammar schools actually better?
Grammar schools get great academic results. This is not only because of the selection of more able pupils, but also because they can often be pushed harder due to a more equal level of ability in class.
What happened grammar schools?
Most grammar schools were phased out, either becoming comprehensives or being converted into private schools, but many were allowed to maintain their status and still exist today. In 1998, Tony Blair's government banned the creation of new grammar schools.
When were grammar schools abolished in Wales?
Under Conservative governments from 1951-1964 this was the prevalent system, but by 1965 when Labour came to power it was actively discouraged, it was seen as a schooling system that favoured the elite and wealthy. Labour formally abolished grammar schools in 1976 giving way to the Comprehensive System.
Do grammar schools get more funding than state schools?
Grammar schools provide higher quality education than comprehensive schools. On average, they produce pupils with higher GCSE and A-level results. However, you may be shocked to hear that grammar schools normally receive less funding than comprehensive schools!
What percentage of children go to grammar schools?
In January 2019 around 176,000 pupils (around 5% of state-funded secondary pupils) attended 163 grammar schools in England. Under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 no new maintained grammar school can be opened, and existing schools cannot introduce new selection.
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Why should grammar schools be abolished?
Ministers must abolish grammar schools as they offer no additional benefit to pupils’ grades and are a “danger” to equality in society, according to major new research. Increasing selection in the school system harms the majority of students who do not attend a grammar school, while their success is only down to pupils’ background ...
Is increasing selection within the schools system dangerous?
The researchers say a policy of increasing selection within the schools system is “dangerous for equality in society”.
Will grammars expand in England?
Plans to dramatically expand the number of grammars in England were abandoned after Theresa May lost her majority in the general election, but the new Education Secretary Damian Hinds has indicated he will allow existing grammars to expand.
Do grammar schools give better results?
Research shows that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds make better progress across core subjects in selective schools, and attain better results.”
Where did grammar schools survive?
In other places, a few grammar schools survived in areas that were otherwise fully comprehensive, such as Birmingham, Bournemouth and some London boroughs.
How do grammar schools select their pupils?
Grammar schools select their pupils by means of a test, known as the 11-plus, which is taken by pupils in the last year of primary school.
Where do the main political parties stand on grammar schools?
Labour oppose the creation of more grammar schools saying that instead of improving equality, they make it worse.
How do grammar schools admit students?
Some grammar schools admit successful students by ranked order - all candidates are ranked by their 11-plus score - literally creaming the best pupils off the top.
What was secondary education after 14?
This made secondary education after the age of 14 free. At the same time secondary education was reorganised into two basic types: grammar schools, which focused on academic studies, with the assumption that many of their pupils would go on to higher education.
What age do you have to be to go to grammar school?
Grammar schools are state secondary schools that select their pupils by means of an examination taken by children at age 11 , known as the "11-plus".
Which counties in England have selective schools?
A handful of counties and local authorities in England have kept largely selective schools systems, including Kent, Medway, Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire, while others such as Gloucestershire, Trafford and Slough have a mix.
Why are grammar schools bad?
The critics assert that schools are subject to continual pressure to train pupils to pass the test.
Which party is opposed to grammar schools?
The Green Party of England and Wales is opposed to grammar schools. According to their website "the [grammar school] system can cause social divisions. Evidence shows that the overall standard of achievement is higher where people are educated in mixed ability environments."
What has led to widespread variations across England as to the proportion of pupils attending grammar schools?
Practicalities, local political decisions, and historical issues have led to widespread variations across England as to the proportion of pupils attending grammar schools.
How many grammar school students are entitled to free meals?
Fewer than 3% of grammar school pupils are entitled to them, compared with 18% of the local cohort. children who are not eligible for free school meals have a much greater chance of attending a grammar school than similarly high-achieving children.
What is the debate about grammar schools?
ongoing debate about schooling in the UK. The grammar schools debate is a debate about the merits and demerits of the existence of grammar schools in the United Kingdom. Grammar schools are state schools which select their pupils on the basis of academic ability, with pupils sitting an exam ...
How did grammar schools help students?
It has been argued that the grammar system helped bright working class students' social mobility. Chris Woodhead has stated "grammar schools have contributed more to social mobility than any other institution this country has known". Abolishing grammar schools may also be seen as attempting to impose a "one size fits all" education system on an area. The introduction of the CEM style test in 2013 was thought to improve social mobility further, because the exams became much more difficult to "tutor for", which meant that well off parents couldn't simply pay to ensure an exam pass.
Why is grammar school important?
The grammar school, by insulating the more able, would provide a safer environment to learn. The National Grammar Schools Association suggest that the ethos of a grammar school could foster a culture high of attainment.
Why were grammar schools established?
Grammar schools were established for those ‘interested in learning for its own sake’
Why did so many bright working class kids benefit from grammar school education in the 1960s?
Number 1 is a myth – the reason so many bright working class kids seemed to benefit from a grammar school education in the 1960s was because of a change in the class structure at that time – basically the decline of working class jobs and the increase in middle class jobs meant there was more opportunity ...
When did the 11+ system end?
In 1965 the then Labour government issued a circular requesting that all Local Education Authorities abolish the 11+ and move to a non-selective, comprehensive system – effectively meaning they had to abolish grammar and secondary moderns and establish comprehensives.
When did the education act become comprehensive?
However, it was only in 1976 that Labour brought in an education act that formally required all counties to go fully Comprehensive.
Which county was the first to implement a comprehensive system?
The county of Leicestershire was the first to experiment with a new comprehensive system in 1957, to placate the parents of children who had failed the 11+, and by the late 1950s, there was mounting evidence that the 11+ was a flawed measure of intelligence and that secondary moderns provided a sub-standard of education.
