We asked MNers to take a survey telling us what they think about more grammar schools in England, and you said...

[RowanMumsnet]

...that 37% of you support the idea of more grammars in England, 40% of you oppose the idea, and 23% of you aren't sure what you think.

You can find out more about the results here. But basically, if you've got the impression from the many threads about the issue that MNers are deeply divided on it - it would appear that you're not wrong.

Thanks to all who took part in the survey.

MNHQ

Ooh I missed this but oppose them. Can you please change it to 41%?

I'm opposed too. Where was the survey?

40.1% Paradise . But presumably there were a decent number of pro-people who didn't see the poll in the day it was up too. Unless there's reason to believe that the "Union of Grammar School Supporters/Opposers" got wind of it and mobilised all their contacts to crash the poll then it's probably representative.

I've been on a million grammar threads and never saw this survey

I think it was only up very briefly. I can't remember whether I saw it as a sticky in active or just through the MN Insight Panel email. If I was MNHQ and wanted an even slightly representative survey then I would keep it up for about half an hour and probably wouldn't mention it anywhere near the grammar schools threads TBH otherwise it's far too easy to rig. I think the 23% "dunno" is maybe a good sign that they achieved what they were aiming for?

Where was this survey then?

It was a link through from MN to a SurveyMonkey survey they'd set up in the normal way.

How can a survey that's only up for half an hour (or whatever) be even remotely representative? If it was in work hours you'd get a bunch of SAHM, for example.

I don't know how long it actually was but I do think that by keeping it up for a long time and alerting the grammar school threads you'd have a much bigger chance of getting it rigged and a much smaller chance of getting a representative sample of mumsnetters as a whole (rather than particularly well-informed and interested mumsnetters who actually care).

I didn't see the survey and I am on Mumsnet day and night. And I would have had my say on any survey too, darn right I would. I STRONGLY VEHEMENTLY AND ABSOLUTELY OPPOSE the reintroduction of grammar schools. Ghastly system.

< yeah, because sahm are all going to have the same opinions on grammars >

No, but working hours would exclude a lot of teachers from your sample and we know teachers are majority opposed.

OK, I've checked back through my emails and I think that it was www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_surveys/2730716-MNer-in-England-Have-at-least-one-child-Super-quick-survey-time-50-to-be-won-NOW-CLOSED this one, in which case it was up for a couple of days, certainly enough to catch everyone's work pattern. But it was carefully phrased to fly under the radar.

Why didn't it say what it was about in the title? I'd have replied.

I would have replied if I had seen it-very opposed to them. Can you please put another survey on? It seems a lot of people missed it....

I did not spot it either ....
and I'm totally equivocal about grammar schools

I have a total blind spot for those surveys because they're usually about washing powder or cheese strings or some other product. Maybe if they'd labelled it an opinion poll? I understand why they didn't want to flag it up in the title because that would have caused a stampede and the 'don't knows' woudn't have been nearly as high.

Nope didn't see it either. And I am totally opposed.

IIRC it was a few questions - each one on a different matter. I can't for the sake of me remember what the first q or two was about. And then there was an add on question from MNHQ asking opinion (yes, no, don't know) on grammars.

I saw the survey and did it. Surely the whole point of these surveys is to get a random sample of people with a range of views rather than publicising it in such a way that people who have a particular view pile in and skew it

I saw it too & as I'm on the MN Panel, which anyone can sign up to, I was sent an email asking me to take it.

I assumed it was sent to a random sample of Mumsnetters. I can't quite see the point of it to be honest. We already have a Yougov poll showing a clear majority opposed to new grammars - if the government's going to ignore that then they're also going to ignore anything Mumsnet throws at them .

I've been reading the GS threads, didn't see the survey , would have taken part and would have voted 'no'.

But it is a survey , not a referendum.

The Green Paper is the most flimsy ill researched ill evidenced thing I have ever seen, and the consultation questions ludicrous.

The results were a fix up!

Hello all

Sorry to those who missed it - it was publicised in the same way as our other surveys (thread on Talk, link in our Mumsnet Insight ad box which is across the site, and emailed out to our Insight Panel too). As lots have pointed out, we're sometimes deliberately vague in survey titles when the topic is contentious/people have strong feelings because we don't want to skew the results.

If you want to join the Insight Panel and never miss another Mumsnet survey again you can do so here. (There's always a prize draw or incentive to take part, if you like that sort of thing - but yes there are also plenty of surveys about washing powder and suchlike alongside political and social questions or surveys to inform Mumsnet editorial activity and campaigns.)

But thanks to those who took it - Somerville the other q was about banning smart phones in schools - we'll be announcing the results of that one soon.