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To think that grammar school places should not be allocated just on the basis of an exam

328 replies

ReallyTired · 19/07/2016 10:11

A super selective school should be a specialist school for the ultra bright. At the moment wealthy parents are able to give their children an unfair advantage over working class children by paying for tutoring. Grammar schools are no longer a leg up for bright working class kids. Many children who attend grammar schools are not super gifted.

If we are going to have super selective schools then we need to make sure that places go to the right children. I do think that an eleven plus exam is useful to weed out those who do not stand a chance with coping with a faster pace of learning. However such a major decision should not be solely based on an exam

Maybe the work that a child produces in class, previous test results or school recommendation should be considered. Maybe as a final stage a child should be assessed by an educational psychologist to be sure that the child is ultra bright rather than hot housed. Some universities take into account the secondary school a student has attended. I feel that grammar schools should look at the background of the applicant and their school.

A superselective school should have a curriculum which is tougher than the national curriculum. Children who cannot keep pace should be transferred to a mainstream school.

OP posts:
Headofthehive55 · 23/07/2016 13:06

Mine was bottom set maths where she got lots more input, extra sessions etc. Pulled out of other lessons to help etc. English other end of ability. Tailored education. Comp.

Bopsy7 · 15/04/2018 23:16

Anyone able to comment on KES Bath?

FASH84 · 15/04/2018 23:54

I got into a grammar school, passed the 11+ and had to have an interview (I was 10 it was a bit scary). My parents are working class and both left school without GCSE equivalent qualifications, my dad at 14. I had no tuition, and went along in my normal primary uniform, others from my school had tutors, blazers that didn't even exist at our school and lied about music lessons. They didn't get in.

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