Nikki out, Justine in

If he doesn't like formal academic study and struggles with literacy, obviously not a deeply academic school.

At the comp DD attended for two years they could only enter the top stream if they were in the top quartile for Maths and English. She did, but it didn't make it a good school.

What does your son think?

Whilst I don't think we need a simplistic grammar/secondary modern system I think we do need different sorts of schools and massive investment again into specialist schools for those children who do not thrive and for those who cannot be properly managed in a comprehensive.

"Children are different. The need different types of schools"

So where should a child like mine be educated: he failed the 11+ at a super selective because he struggles with essay writing and literacy, but easily got a level 6 in his maths SATS with no practice at home, no tutoring or parental input. He plays two instruments at grade 5 at the age of 11, and is top of his class in science at his very good comp. What 'type' of child is he? He's intellectually curious, very bright, but not academic in the sense of loving formal study. Do you think he should be educated in a secondary modern? There are many children like him out there - clever but not studious. Or very bright and high achieving in one area of the curriculum and awful in others. Where do they fit in?

By the way, my ds's comp offers separate sciences and for languages, Italian, German, Spanish, French, Latin and Ancient Greek. If they can do this why shouldn't others? Why do you need to separate children into separate buildings?

She's also well placed yo understand their faults, especially in London where she lives. In Putney/Wandsworth where she lives there was not one single state comp that offered three separate sciences, two mfls and a classical language. I'd expect a grammar to offer that. If comps are intended to fulfil the potential of all, it is essential their curriculums reflect a grammar offer for those able to engage with an academic education.

Primary schools in Wandsworth are great. Justine must be acutely aware of the problems and should address them.

Why is it ok to say some young people shouldn't be expected to do the ebac but not ok to say clever children should have access to an academic education.

Children are different. The need different types of schools.

I'm with TalkinPeace. Grammar schools are only the holy grail for people who think their own DC should have got into one. Secondary moderns have always been widely considered second best, so few would advocate the system if they thought their own child would fail the 11+.

All children have the right to receive a great education. As Justine is the first Secretary of State for Education to have been to a comprehensive school, who then went to a Russell Group university and got a training contract with a Big 6 accountancy firm, she is in the ideal position to see what a good comprehensive education can achieve as well as the flaws.

sandyholme
why would being at a northern comp make her more want to put a Secondary Modern in every town?

surely its better to make all schools better ?

Justine did her accountancy exams with me. My colleagues taught her everything she knows about finance, but nothing about education. Still, she must be better than Govey.

Of all the things that need to change in education this doesn't come anywhere near my top 100 or so.....

That means because she went to 'real' comprehensive (I.e a gritty northern Comp in Rotherham) she will understand why grammar schools are needed ! Hopefully.....

What would be better would be to stop insisting more-or-less everyone does Ebacc when they are not academically suited to it.

Hope not.
Stupid plan to put Secondary Moderns in areas that survive without them.

Greening is a Comp girl.
Hopefully she will bring some sense