Priority admissions to grammar for free school meals

[polycomfort]

I'm pretty much not a person to start hand-wringing over low income families getting breaks. Happy for people less fortunate to get the odd leg up. Fine.

But I'm really angry to have just read that the local grammar school has just started giving priority admission to children claiming free school meals. I understand they get an extra £900 per child so I get that there is probably a financial benefit for the schools themselves. But I've been practicing with my daughter every evening (can't afford a tutor) using books I've bought cheap on Amazon and was thinking she might be just about good to go after lots of effort from both of us and now I'm just thinking what's the point? There are 20 applications per space as it is, and now just because I'm not poor she has even less of a chance. We don't have a high income but I work full time and so she doesn't get free school meals. For my efforts I may end up having to send my really rather bright daughter to the crappy (and it is crap) local comp even though she may be brighter than a child whose parent doesn't bust a gut to work every day of the week.

I don't think it's okay for grammar schools to be crammed full of wealthy kids who could go to private school, but couldn't they do a household income cut off rather than using a free school meal as the criteria? Then all the kids who can't afford to go to private school could be assessed for grammar school. I don't see why kids from the middle income should be penalised.

Then there is the paperwork. You have to go and search that info for yourself. The form has to be in by May to request 11+. Nobody tell you. You don't get a letter in the children's school bag.
The PP paying for some tutor for ds was HT idea, after a discussion with her about best school for ds

schools should be in partnership with their own pupils, all this should be openly discussed with parents who dc are showing 11+ potential.

They should be helping with forms, telling parents etc ..

As the prep kids taking all of the places keeps coming up I am curious as to why that is. Are prep schools really that much better at teaching that the kids who go there have a huge advantage?

They have more aim and more reason to cover ground that will give their pupils a chance.

Otherwise parents wouldn't send DC there.

I imagine over all there is more pressure on head, teachers as well as pupils to simply work harder and do more. I dont believe they have better teachers, and I dont believe they have more intellegent or well behaved pupils.

Frankly I don't get the justification of privately educated kids being allowed to hoover up state places.Grammar schools were for state kids,any child can go to a state school so it would hardly be discrimination if state kids had priority

I agree, and yes being berated for tutoring when their school pulls a veil down over the 11+ they are digging round in the dark for info, and they dont even cover enough to help them pass.

Tiggy the sutton trust also said - make all state primaries REACH OUT to their pupils who they being charged to educate!!!

The school should be carriyng all this and not leaving all the onus on the parents seeing as we know, its down to parents whether most dc in current climate will enter.

As i understood from my sister if u apply to grammar and dont get in - your child then may not get first choice in high school and could end up in crap comp no other wants to go too.

I mentioned that briefly BeyondRepair - the workshops and the meetings to encourage people to apply

I thought you put the onus on the grammars again for them to out reach and do workshops, all of that is great but ALL STATES PRIMARIES need to step up and start to help all potential 11+ candidates.

You would think that people would be pleased to think that the most disadvantaged children in society were being given a helping hand - not thinking of all sorts of arguments as to why they shouldn't.

The problem is that this made up policy isn't just giving the the most disadvantaged a helping hand.

It's giving a helping hand to some of the disadvantaged children that the government has bothered to measure, but is completely ignoring the equally damaging types of disadvantage faced by other children simply because the government hasn't chosen to measure them. And in doing that, it increases the disadvantage faced by some children.

Surely all state primaries should be helping all their children to the best of their potential?

The government has to find an easy, measurable way to do it. One thing is for sure-now they have started - it will spread and won't go back.
It was bound to come as grammar schools get fed up with having over tutored children who are not really grammar school material. They will look for a fairer way to get suitable pupils. The best way to do that is to get a test that can't be tutored - but I think it impossible.

I think the best argument against grammar schools is that it is simply impossible to accurately identify at 11 and separate off all those children who would benefit from an academically rigorous and fast paced education, and because of that ALL schools should make provision for ALL the learning needs of ALL children. (the exception being children with significant special needs).

I don't understand why a child would come out crying saying he'd failed. Most of us in the private system we tend to ensure our children realise any school they might get to would be fine. My daughter at 11+ sat for 6 different schools, finds exams fun and if didn't pass couldn't care less. Surely the problem is with the way the parent has brought up the child and presented the school choices if the child is so bothered about it.

"Teachers are targeted on how many get to level 4b so beyond that has no effect."
Not true.

and because of that ALL schools should make provision for ALL the learning needs of ALL children

well many schools have this marvelous opportunity now though ( due to small no's of grammars) and they are not able to stretch their brighter pupils.

Surely all state primaries should be helping all their children to the best of their potential

yes.

All of them. I was shocked when I read on here that in fact they do not.