bert it isn't just my local comprehensive choices though is it? Our area doesn't even feature on a list of worst areas, which doesn't suprise me as there are plenty of good schools too. And the area doesn't have the large scale problems associated with the worst areas either. But tbh, whether a child is one of 80% being failed in the area, or one of 1%, it is just as unfair.
Re your statements on grades, able provision etc you might not mean you want that result, but in reality that's what happens. If I posted the main stats for crap school, and the other that is only crap in its able provision, or one further away that is good for all, despite a minority of higher achievers, you'd never guess which was which without doing some serious digging, because they all appear to comply with your opinions, but with very different consequences.
Again, you miss the fact that you are metaphorically laying out all your childs advantages, and deciding ability can take second place to needier peers. But not every child has those other advantages. I can see the logic behind a deprived childs c being more of a priority than his a*. But it's not that straight forward. Nobody would expect a mc family to sacrifice the advantage of family holidays, two decent cars etc to get those deprived children to a c, or even to pay for support to get their own dc to a c. But mine is expected to sacrifice her advantage to provide it.