We asked MNers to take a survey telling us what they think about more grammar schools in England, and you said...

threesheets
you NEED to read the link
you wont like it
but you need to

I don't think that this present system is failing because of the 'one size fits all'! It is failing because our teacher have classes who have more than one main language!

I went to a secondary modern school, my kids went to an Academy and although they have done fairly well, they have had to work hard to do so, I consider my education to be superior! I have only once failed to get a job I applied for and at over 60 I think that is something to be bloody proud of, (and that was Asda!, well, your big mistake!). If our education system is failing it is not because of lack of grammar schools, the problem is far more complex than that.

I think I am opposed to Grammar schools because they, IMO, promote kids to higher jobs on the basis of book learning. Well to my mind, a true education starts from the basics, from the bottom. While you learn your 'trade', 'skill', whatever it is, what you learn at the bottom of the ladder is invaluable and hopefully, will give you a greater insight into the whole picture of your career.

I also hope that working your way up is part of the school of life and youth develop an insight into a working population and the value of each job we all take part in.

"the problem with education in this country, is that the one size fits all approach is failing"

Children are less likely to leave school without qualifications than ever before, and functional illiteracy among the under 20's is the lowest it's ever been.

And there is no 'one size fits all' system, as evidenced by successful comprehensives which achieve great results with students from across the ability range. They achieve this through differentiated strategies and approaches and by flexible and responsive setting.

David I think I probably fit your description of the antis on those threads!! I completely agree with you however. I assumed that Mumsnet had contacted a random sample of the membership.
We already have a YouGov poll with fairly conclusive results.

I do think there would have been a problem. There are some very active grammar school debate threads, AFAIK mostly populated by highly motivated people with an "anti" viewpoint. (I don't frequent them myself because although I'm anti I'm not highly motivated and I find it all too depressing). One post of "MNHQ are doing a poll. Quick, everyone get over and vote!" would have played havoc with any attempt to get a representive sample.

What it does raise is "what's the definition of a MNer?" Posters? Lurkers? Compers who've signed up because they want to win something?

I have no strong feelings about Grammar schools either way. You do what's best for your child, but imo, the problem with education in this country, is that the one size fits all approach is failing.
I didn't see the survey either.

I suppose it was a survey of people who like signing up to take surveys rather than a survey of mumsnetters in general.

I would have voted against - an am a SAHM so don't even have the excuse that I was busy working for missing the survey. I am just not very observant.

I had a child at a grammar and I suspect that at least one of the other five would have got in - our grammars tend to take quite average children tbh so that is not me imagining they are brighter than they are.

I would have voted against - an am a SAHM so don't even have the excuse that I was busy working for missing the survey. I am just not very observant.

I had a child at a grammar and I suspect that at least one of the other five would have got in - our grammars tend to take quite average children tbh so that is not me imagining they are brighter than they are.

I missed this too and I'm always flitting in and out . I don't think you would have had any issues had you mentioned Grammar school poll in the title. Everyone who likes them (including me) would have voted and everyone against would also have voted too. I don't think the results would have been as skewed as you make out, you just would have had more votes to count. I'm disappointed that the dailyfail will now take these results and suggest they're a balanced view of the parents opinions when they're not really.

Grammar schools weren't mentioned in the title so those people too scared/nervous to voice their opinions on the threads missed out on having their say on the matter because it was hidden away.

I don't usually read the MN threads at the top of the page, there's too many that I don't have any interest in commenting on/voting etc. And if I have to open them and read them every time theres a new one put up and it's not something I have an interest in then I am wasting my time and getting cross that I constantly open threads to close them because theyre not relevant to me. If you actually put the subject n the title then I would be more likely to comment/vote possibly along with a good proportion of others.

For the record I like Grammar schools, no I didn't go to one, my children go/went to a sink school with less than 50% pass rate for GCSE's and less than 10% gain A's and ANY opportunity for any children to do better than what we have currently on offer is worth it.

You need to change your email preferences choco. I don't get any discount-type emails but I do get notified of all surveys.

Mind you, having done the sums and worked out that particpants' expected return was 5p for a five minute survey I've rather gone off them. You don't normally get told the number of participants so you can't do the sums.

MN Surveys are just anecdote.
The data is in.
Grammar Schools are a waste of scarce resources
schoolsweek.co.uk/epi-grammar-schools-report-the-7-key-findings/
epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Grammar-schools-and-social-mobility_.pdf

I didn't see it either. We receive e-mails about 10% "reductions" on massively expensive products but not about important surveys Just like the sex-ed a few years ago.

I didn't see it and would have signed.

To quote a previous poster....

I STRONGLY VEHEMENTLY AND ABSOLUTELY OPPOSE the reintroduction of grammar schools. Ghastly system.

The really interesting poll would have asked three questions:

Would you like there to be more grammar schools?

Do you think your child will definitely pass the 11+

Is your child already at a grammar school.

And then collate the answers. I suspect that 99% of people who answer 'no' to questions two and three will also answer 'no' to question one.

But then a lot of mumsnetters are convinced their child is 'bright'.

married
Nope because Wales and Scotland have devolved education systems

I spotted it, it was up for a while, but I'm not in England so I didn't look at the questions. Is the grammar school question not relevant to people in Wales then?

I'm a strongly pro, just to balance the mini survey taking place on the comments here!

Another one who didn't spot the survey despite being on here day and night.

Absolutely vehemently opposed here too.
A ludicrous idea that benefits no-one.

Rowan and how many times did you count the replies

The link said over a thousand people took the survey