am feeling ignorant, what are grammar schools?

[OverMyDeadBody]

Sorry, I had to ask, I keep seeing threads mentioning them and don't really know what they are. I thought they where a thing of the past and no applicable any more? I haven't noticed any around here, are they just still found in certain locations? I know our local secondary is very good, just assumed if we where still here DS would automatically go there, but if it's a grammar will he have to pass an entrance exam?

(I didn't grow up here so no experience in these tihngs!)

Until I had ds I also thought that they were a thing of the past too. There are still some areas that have them. Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Kent, Bournemouth and Watford are the few areas that I know of. They also had them in Northern Ireland but I think Peter Hain may have abolished him I know he was trying very hard.

There is an entrance exam and the success rate depends on the number of applicants v places. In Buckingham (where I mentioned on other thread) over 30% of children will get in but I think it is much lower in other areas.

Thanks princess! So what happens to the 70% who don't get in? Are there two secndaries in each catchment area, a grammar and a comprehensive (if that is what the alternative is called?)?

Where do you live in the UK?

There are no grammar schools in Scotland although some are still called grammar schools - it's in name only.

Only some areas in England have grammar schools - I don't know about Wales and N Ireland though.

Grammar schools have an entrance test. If that's not passed then the children go to an alternative secondary. In grammar catchment areas, these "failure' schools are often very very good and have higher academic results than other ordinary schools in other parts of the country. SO it's not a Bad Thing to have to attned there.

Only a comparatively few areas still have grammar schools. The rationale behind them is that a certain percentage of more academically able children are 'creamed off' to be given an education more appropriate to them. What used to be called Secondary Modern schools would then cater for everyone else - these used to have a more vocational curriculum. Entry to grammar schools is through an exam - I don't know whether it's still called the 11 +??
Some people think grammar schools are great. The downside is that there isn't a fixed standard that the child has to reach. Say there are 100 places available, the 'pass' mark for the entry exam obviously has to be altered depending on how many children are applying that particular year. The 11 + exam certainly used to be very narrow as well. It is a very specific assessment of very specific skills at one particular moment in a child's life. It therefore discriminates against children who may be late flourishers. I sat the 11+ along with my 2 brothers, over 30 years ago. I passed, they failed, my parents thought 'sod it' and sent us all to a very new comprehensive a few miles away, and we all ended up at University!

X posts.

THe alternative used to be called Secondary Modern, but I think most just call themselves "high school" or something similar.

Thanks! I'm feeling slightly less ignorant now! Doesn't seem a completely fair system does it?

I'm in the south east, and, thinking about it, am pretty sure there are no grammar schools round here.

whats fair abou tlife over? why should high school education be the same? at least we are lucky enough to live in a country where children are at least guaranteed a minimum level of education.

there are grammar schools in surrey, kent, herts and bucks for starters...