New Grammar Schools & Faith Schools

[Peregrina]

Plans to open new Grammar and Faith schools. At least the Local Authority will have some say in the Faith schools, instead of more money being thrown at the vanity project of free schools.

What this country desperately needs is not more opportunities for the already bright, but a real effort to tackle the long tail of under achievement exhibited by many pupils.

The article states:
Grammar schools seeking money from the "selective schools expansion fund" will have to show they ensure fair access for disadvantaged pupils.

Quite frankly, I will believe that when I see it. Do the Grammars in Kent and Bucks have the full share of disadvantaged children? I don't think so, from the stats I have seen.

[Toomanytealights]

There are grammar schools elsewhere.

I wonder how the funding will pan out considering grammar schools are alreadily massively underfunded. If they agree to expand can they reinstall libraries,buy books and resources,re-employ teachers etc or can it only go in bigger buildings. If not surely you're going to spread an already very thin portion out even thinner.

Re disadvantaged children I think the focus needs to shift to how bright disadvantaged are doing elsewhere.There are tiny numbers of grammar schools. Many disadvantaged kids end up in comps. Are they getting into the top sets and staying there? Shouldn't more places be made in comp sets for disadvantaged kids,more support given to ensure they stay there etc?

[Toomanytealights]

By tiny numbers in GS I mean there are very few grammars so pp kids gaining entry is less of an issue than pp kids gaining entry to top sets in comps. By all means focus on continuing the work already being done to enable entry into GS but surely enabling entry into equivalent top sets in comps and ensuring they stay there is far more worthy of focus.

[Peregrina]

Have you seen anything in the current proposals which suggests that the disadvantaged will be encouraged to get into the top sets?

There is a big problem with underachievement in coastal schools; what proposals are there to ensure that the children in these schools get a fair crack of the whip?

[Toomanytealights]

That is what I'm asking.

Every time GS come into the news hands are thrown in the air re pp kids gaining entry and not the same kids gaining entry into top sets in the best comps elsewhere.

Many grammar schools are now working hard to get disadvantaged kids in. Eventually such measures will start baring fruit. Can the same be said of measures to get the same kids into top equivalent sets of comps and more importantly enable them to stay there until the end with a good clutch of GSCEs and Alevels?

[IrenetheQuaint]

"surely enabling entry into equivalent top sets in comps and ensuring they stay there is far more worthy of focus"

This is for schools, though - even the DfE doesn't micromanage to this extent.

I'm not sure grammar schools are unfunded, they just feel underfunded because most comps cross-subsidise from their pupil premium income.