The most Socially Selective schools in England.

[smokepole]

Here is a list of the most socially selective state schools in England , total no of pupils entitled to free school meals over the last six years. Dept Of Education Characteristics

1. Cranbrook School Kent 5
2. Borlase Grammar Bucks 5
3. Bishop Words Wilts 7
4. Pate's Grammar Gloucs 8
5. Colchester Royal Essex 10
6. Caistor Grammar Lincs 10
7. King Edward Louth Lincs 10
8. Adams Grammar Shrop 11
9. Colchester High Essex 12
10. Kendrick Grammar Berks 12
11. Dr Challinor High Bucks 12

12. Alyesbury Gram Bucks 13 12. Beaconsfield High Bucks 13 12. Newport High Shrop 13 15. Stratford Gram Warks 14 15.Skinners Sch Kent 14 17.Chelmsford High Essex 15 17. Judd Sch Kent 15 17. St Olaves Kent 15 20. Alcester Gram Warks 16 21. Tonbridge Gram Kent 17 22. Kegs Chelms Essex 19 22. Lancaster Girls Lancs 19 24. Skipton High Yorks 20 24. Tunbridge W Gir Kent 20 26 Hockerill Anglo Essex 21 27. Ripon Gram Yorks 22 27. Ermysteds Yorks 22 29. Altrincham Boys Ches 23 30. St Bernards Slough Berks 24

Smokepole

This is so true, nobody from our area except dd is involved with her choir.
They are all the Manchester grammar or good Cheshire schools and folk round here have never heard of it let alone know their dc could audition and be a part of it.
On the G&T register at her old school no musical opportunities even some offered by the LA were suggested to us.
In fact even paying for tuition wasn't an option until y3, it was just unheard of and not allowed.
Once involved with the LA groups it was different, but any parents who don't know the ropes wouldn't stand a chance.

I think there is an issue in communicating to people what they are entitled to and this can affect selective schools more for a variety of reasons.
One of the reasons for any change between when I was at secondary and now is the cost of transport. In the 1990s, the county council gave free transport to those living more than 3 miles from grammar and religious schools. Firstly, they cut the funding to the grammars then to the church schools.
Several girls I was at sixth form with were only able to attend as travel passes were free.
Given that there are several ways to get the uniform cheaper, maybe it's now transport costs putting people off.
We do several outreach programmes with the local primary schools and secondary (for sixth form) some are very resistant to us coming in, making it harder to keep parents informed of the possibility of attending our school.

Why smoke would they not cross the minds of parents and teachers from socially mixed areas to offer them? Are their horizons that limited? Are the teachers that unimaginative? Or are you just making assumptions from a position of no knowledge and prejudice?
Can I suggest you google Ebony Horse Club, the Emile Faurie Foundation, Mudchute Farm, Ride High, Stepney Bank Stables and there are many more all ensuring that horses are crossing the minds of deprived children if not their parents and teachers.

You could also google the Horse Rangers Association, horse ownership was and I'm assuming still is a bar to membership again riding for all regardless of financial back ground.

Happy

I know what smoke means as have experienced this ourselves with the music and a grammar school that we just fit catchment.
Wrt the grammar school, parents don't know it exists for them, where to take the 11+ and the fact that it wouldn't be practical in terms of transport is irrelevant because they just don't know.
It doesn't matter what exists if parents don't go looking and teachers don't suggest or pass on knowledge of their existance.

Yes, Horse Rangers are great. They are not a state school, however.

More,
A lot of the issue we have is that many primary teachers (not all) disapprove of grammar schools. My own Yr6 teacher did. But my parents investigated anyway, my dad had gone to one in Scotland when there were loads and everyone did the 11+.
I would encourage anyone interested to contact these schools about admissions. I invigilate the entrance exam every year - we're very friendly, honest

Why smoke would they not cross the minds of parents and teachers from socially mixed areas to offer them? Are their horizons that limited? Are the teachers that unimaginative? Or are you just making assumptions from a position of no knowledge and prejudice?

Happy it is so mean-spirited to throw insults like that at people who might have the mindset of 'not for people like us'. I've worked with and met people who have expressed exactly that sentiment. Similarly, many people might be unaware of schemes and clubs that do exist to widen participation, or they might be referal only.

Can I suggest you take yourself off to the JRF website and inform yourself a bit?

(And the repeated accusations that smoke is speaking from ignorant prejudice are wearing a bit thin too.)

I let Morethan answer that question.?

Second thoughts : Because it is inter -generational ignorance brought on by never having had the opportunities themselves, or knowing anyone who has had any opportunity . Knowing nobody who went to University or left the local town or area for a high flying or academic career , being kept in the dark about life outside their small socially deprived area (I am not talking about "Economic" but in terms of culture here.) These ideas about "why has it not crossed the mind of said parents" come out of the Metropolitan Left, Ed Milliband types who think Poverty is just about "foodbanks". It is also about poverty of thought and knowledge !.

I'm just pointing out that contrary to some assertions on here that horse riding is not just for the privileged few with stacks of money and that children from all back grounds dream of being involved with horses.
It's clearly something some on here are here to talk about but very obviously know nothing about.

Smoke - interestingly, my DF came from the sort of background people usually say is limiting (council estate in ex-mining community). He had teachers who encouraged him and the fact that everyone took the exam on his side.
When I was doing my teacher training, however, the attitude was very anti-grammar school. When I talked about gifted and talented work, I was often told I was expecting too much! I was fortunate enough to have one placement that believed all students should be challenged. The other was rubbish (the college thought it was the other way round ).
All I can say is, yes, we should be doing more but we ARE trying!

Again can I suggest you google Ebony Horse Club situated in the 10th most deprived UK borough clearly epode here believe horses are for "people like us".
I don't need to google the JRF website thank you I lived for over 13 years in one of the UK's most deprived boroughs and worked and still work with some of the UK's most deprived.
Don't forget it wasn't me who suggested that illegal immigrants take out health insurance before they left their countries and made long and treacherous journey to the UK.

Yes I know where exactly where it is. I have been there. I could stroll there from here. It isn't the point happy

They exist to do what they do, out of school, for a particular demographic.

They are not representative of equestrianism as a pursuit. Their existence is not an argument for horses in state schools.

Out I am on scrappy 3G but didn't one of the medalists at the 2012 Olympics get a dressage medal on a horse belonging to someone else whose stables she'd gone to work in. I can't remember her name but I think she said she'd just had great opportunities. There's a state school in Gillingham Dorset which has an equestrian team. Where we used to ride, families regularly bought ponies which were incredibly cheap (under £1k) and then ran them in fields/diy livery. No fancy cars at the stables at all, mainly K-S reg with the teens working at the stables for rides/lessons. None of the families went on holiday & teens had jobs after school as well as at the stables.

Horse Rangers waiting lists are often 3 or more years long. A handful of city farms offer pony club and also have waiting lists measured in years. I have held roles where I need to know this stuff.

Such clubs are the exception. Equestrianism is not 'open to all' or 'egalitarian'.

But yes, such provision is fantastic, where it exists, but should remain an out-of-school thing so as not to highlight vast differences in opportunity available to pupils.

Outwiththecrowd - Charlotte Dujardin British gold medallist and one of the best dressage riders ever went to state school. Re. Showjumping the Smiths were state educated as were the Whitakers and Nick Skelton and many more.
So, in answer to your question, "do the hoi polloi [as you call them] get into British teams, the answer is yes.

Happy. That's great . The Ebony Club is great but we all know of exceptions to the rule. Anyway it is a charity that needs help from patrons and donations to continue to let a "few" children enjoy riding..

No I don't think it's rude I wasted spent 40 years of my life around horses. Many people are labouring under the impression that the horse world is only for the privileged few this could not be further from the truth. All over the country there are people propping up horses on shoestrings. If some schools have equestrian teams good luck to them, it is simply incorrect to assume that the members of that team are mega wealthy.

DoctorDonna
I have no interest in engaging with grammar schools and am delighted that there are none near here

BUT
I agree with you utterly about the transport problem resulting in more choice for the well off.

Londoners seem to forget that the free bus fares for children
and bus passes working on every bus
is unique to that one city

the rest of the country has to put up with the fiasco of deregulation and competition and sky high fares

the latest hoo hah north of here is that Stagecoach have cut a bus route which was the ONLY way to get from certain villages to the 6th form college other than by car

and bus passes are linked to companies - so DDs one will not work on 3 of the 4 bus companies that run near here.

THAT is what makes schools socially selective

dapple Oh, the great days of Harvey Smith flapping round the ring

it is simply incorrect to assume that the members of that team are mega wealthy.

Who said that? The argument is about full inclusivity, not mega-wealth.

families regularly bought ponies which were incredibly cheap (under £1k) and then ran them in fields/diy livery. No fancy cars at the stables at all, mainly K-S reg

I understand that East. But families entitled to FSM often can't afford even bargain ponies (or cars of any reg).

Eastpoint, thank you for that. I'm happy to hear it. I do fear that her story is probably unusual and lucky! I hope to hear of more like her in the future though.

I grew up with girls who mucked out stables in return for riding lessons, so I know learning to ride is not that exclusive. But when you notch up to a more competitive or serious level you either need to have money in the family or have connections.

Talkin - nice to see we can agree on some things!
The transport issue makes a joke of the concept of parental choice!