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Original poster

Oxfordshire votes to reject grammar schools

90 replies

noblegiraffe · 19/09/2016 20:03

Oxfordshire County Council has voted to reject any plans for new grammar schools with only 14 out of 63 councillors in favour of their reintroduction.

Apparently a Conservative councillor had told the local paper that Oxfordshie would be first in the queue to apply for new grammars, prompting the vote.

www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/oxfordshire-first-council-reject-mays-grammar-school-plan

OP posts:
Peregrina · 19/09/2016 21:37

Oxfordshire was true blue for many years, but became a hung council for about 20 years, and then returned to the Tories. I would say West Oxfordshire which includes David Cameron's seat of Witney and South Oxfordshire, centred around Henley, are still true blue.

But since most of the Secondary Schools are academies, there is probably very little that the LA could do to stop the schools changing into grammars. The group of parents it would be extremely popular with are those parents stumping up for what might be called the second rank of Independent Schools - not Abingdon School, or Oxford High, who I think will still be able to fill their places, but some smaller ones.

goodbyestranger · 19/09/2016 21:30

sandy this isn't going to be down to local councillors.

fastdaytears · 19/09/2016 20:56

Oxfordshire is not exactly a Tory heartland!

sandyholme · 19/09/2016 20:55

If Graham Brady was to become the MP at the cost to George Osborne.

Graham Brady could canvass on the principle of extending grammar schools to the Knutsford area. Currently many children go to the Altrincham Grammars from Knutsford but obviously out of 'area' at present.

sandyholme · 19/09/2016 20:50

Boys I was wondering that .

An interesting council to watch could be Cheshire East (George Osborne's local council) make up 51 Conservative 16 Labour 4 Lib Dems and 1 UKIP.

This is because it is a relatively new council (created after i left the area) surrounded by Trafford in the Knutsford/Wilmslow parts.

The also proposed dropping of the Tatton seat in creation of Altrincham and Tatton park means a fight between 'Grammar school activist' Graham Brady and George Osborne for the seat. Perhaps allowing for Knutsford to become part of the Trafford grammar school catchment.

BlueGazebo · 19/09/2016 20:41

Good stuff. Why would anyone want their comprehensives turned into secondary moderns?

sandyholme · 19/09/2016 20:38

But couldn't an Academy decide to become a grammar , regardless of what the council think !

boys3 · 19/09/2016 20:35

true blue shire like Oxfordshire

although having just checked on their website it is only marginally blue. Still what would an MN education thread be without at least one poorly informed comment?

A rhetorical question in case anyone was wondering :)

boys3 · 19/09/2016 20:32

Grin Grin

goodbyestranger · 19/09/2016 20:28

Apologies boys. Must stop asking rhetorical questions....

MumTryingHerBest · 19/09/2016 20:24

boys3 Mon 19-Sep-16 20:15:48 not surprised. Can't help thinking that the whole grammar announcement is a smokescreen for something else - no idea what mind you.

Alternative way to fund education i.e. academisation/privatisation with fancy packaging

boys3 · 19/09/2016 20:23

no need for these pesky questions of detail goodbye Grin

Seriously would depend on what the actual legislation, assuming it ever got passed, said. I really can't see it getting passed. If a true blue shire like Oxforshire is not going to support it then I can't see there being a united Tory front in parliament.

goodbyestranger · 19/09/2016 20:17

Does that have legal standing?

boys3 · 19/09/2016 20:15

not surprised. Can't help thinking that the whole grammar announcement is a smokescreen for something else - no idea what mind you.

My view is that we need much more debate and investment in high quality pre-school education, by the time we get to secondary it really is far too late for many (and that is not in any way to denigrate the efforts of the legions of excellent secondary school teachers).

Link to actual OCC decision mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=116&MId=4815&Ver=4

CruCru · 19/09/2016 20:10

Ah, that is interesting. The other day I told someone that I would be very surprised if any schools become grammars in my borough (Islington, Labour council, MP is Emily Thornberry).