If you're anti grammar schools, then please answer me this:

[Proseccocino]

If your child had a gift for music, then you might send her to a school which excels musically.

If your child had a talent for sport, you might send him to an academy which excels at sport, one where he can really focus and develop in the area in which he is better than his peers.

And so on....!

So, if your child is intelligent, academically gifted... Why is it bad to say you would send her to a selective school where she can study along with other bright students?

If it's OK to separate children according to ability in sport or music or drama or technology, and send them to specialist schools which excel in these areas - why is it a different story if their talent with their academic ability?

Yes but I don't know what you can afford! I mean, are you looking for a 3-4 bed house for £100k in the catchment for one of the best schools in the country? Because if so, I suspect so is everyone else, which is why they don't exist.

2StripedSocks Tue 13-Sep-16 18:35:04 But you're refusing to believe that selection by postcode is rife and the more able are hugely let down in many comps.

Selection by postcode is not restricted to comps. I have given this example a number of times, take a look at the house prices in Marlow. It so happens there is a Grammar school in that area. The majority of schools that are highly sought after and very oversubscribed will have selection by postcode, it makes not difference if they are comps. faith, Grammar or otherwise.

2StripedSocks Tue 13-Sep-16 19:33:50 Which schools are those? I want schools I can move into the catchment of.

I see, so because you chose the location you want to live/work, without any consideration for the schools in the area, you want the entire education system in the country to be changed to suit your needs.

But 100k wouldn't get you a 3-4 bed house in the catchment for many crap schools either, what you want there is the moon on a stick.

Apparently you do work near a good school.

Some people are actually living next to shit schools and those I do have sympathy for.

Incidentally I just found a 3 bed house within the catchment for one of the schools on that list for £170k which is way under the average uk house price.

2StripedSocks - I know what you are saying and understand why you feel the way you do.

However, the fact remains that Government has a duty to 100% children in the country and shouldn't change the system to damage the education of the majority.

Obviously you must do what is best for your child, regardless of politics etc - but that is largely irrelevant to the question of why grammar schools aren't a good idea.

2StripedSocks Tue 13-Sep-16 20:54:51 Love the way those of us not lucky enough to have an Outstanding comp or able to afford private just have to put up with what they've got and be grateful even if their kids don't get pushed to reach their full potential.

Love the way you keep referring to "us" when you are actually referring to other people. After all you admit you are "sorted".

2StripedSocks Tue 13-Sep-16 20:58:24 How exactly would they damage the education of the majority?

Tell you what, how about you tell us all how they are going to benefit the majority?

So we should just make do

There's a grammar school so send your kid to the grammar school, but don't pretend that has no effect on the school next to you, and don't pretend it doesn't have an effect on parents who can't afford to transport their kids a hour away. The school next to you doesn't push the most able? Perhaps the local teachers who would be good at that are teaching at the grammar.

School policy can't be based around the wants of individual parents and screw the rest. Unless you're Toby Young of course.

Wilshaw has already said comps focus on the Middle.

Progress 8 is designed to stop that. You know, a sensible solution to the problem, instead of a bizarre proposal which doesn't fit in at all with the rest of Tory education policy.

2StripedSocks Tue 13-Sep-16 21:02:54 Why do they have to,they're already catered for? Wilshaw has already said comps focus on the Middle.

So who's catering for the low attainers?

2StripedSocks Tue 13-Sep-16 21:02:54 Why do they have to,they're already catered for? Wilshaw has already said comps focus on the Middle.

So let's get this straigh, you are saying all those crap comps. that so many people are stuck with are actually maximising the potential of the majority of children i.e. middle attainers?

So what % do you think should go to grammar schools?