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Grammar schools are yet another gamble with the futures of young people Grammar schools are yet another gamble with young people's futures
(about 1 hour later)
Staunch advocates of grammar schools have trouble explaining why providing a lottery ticket to a lucky few is a necessary condition for increasing social mobility. It is possible for poor children to shatter glass ceilings after receiving a comprehensive education. Take inner London, where I grew up, which has no grammar schools. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies this week argues that London schools are a better example of how to improve social mobility than grammar schools. The IFS finds that children from deprived backgrounds are much less likely to attend existing grammar schools than better-off children are, even high-achieving poor pupils, while those who don’t pass the 11-plus do much worse than in a comprehensive system. But in inner London, about half the pupils eligible for free school meals achieve five or more GCSEs at A* to C, double the proportion outside London. It has been able to both “improve results amongst the brightest pupils and reduce inequality”, the IFS concludes.Staunch advocates of grammar schools have trouble explaining why providing a lottery ticket to a lucky few is a necessary condition for increasing social mobility. It is possible for poor children to shatter glass ceilings after receiving a comprehensive education. Take inner London, where I grew up, which has no grammar schools. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies this week argues that London schools are a better example of how to improve social mobility than grammar schools. The IFS finds that children from deprived backgrounds are much less likely to attend existing grammar schools than better-off children are, even high-achieving poor pupils, while those who don’t pass the 11-plus do much worse than in a comprehensive system. But in inner London, about half the pupils eligible for free school meals achieve five or more GCSEs at A* to C, double the proportion outside London. It has been able to both “improve results amongst the brightest pupils and reduce inequality”, the IFS concludes.
St Bonaventure’s comprehensive school in Newham, east London, is in one of the most deprived parts of England. When I went there, the vast majority of the intake were black and minority ethnic (BME), most immigrants or the children of immigrants. Under excellent leadership, brilliant teaching and stretching extracurricular activities, such as competitive debating, the school transformed the lives of a generation of young people. One of my schoolmates has just become a senior lawyer at one of the best law firms in the world. Another has just announced another successful year as a graphic design entrepreneur. A third is now progressing rapidly after joining his company as an apprentice. I would not have achieved at school if it hadn’t been for the influence of able peers acting as role models for me and the entire school. For any young black boy growing up in a poor community (where role models are not in plentiful supply) it would be dangerous to understate that particular benefit of comprehensive education. Grammar schools would cream off many such role models.St Bonaventure’s comprehensive school in Newham, east London, is in one of the most deprived parts of England. When I went there, the vast majority of the intake were black and minority ethnic (BME), most immigrants or the children of immigrants. Under excellent leadership, brilliant teaching and stretching extracurricular activities, such as competitive debating, the school transformed the lives of a generation of young people. One of my schoolmates has just become a senior lawyer at one of the best law firms in the world. Another has just announced another successful year as a graphic design entrepreneur. A third is now progressing rapidly after joining his company as an apprentice. I would not have achieved at school if it hadn’t been for the influence of able peers acting as role models for me and the entire school. For any young black boy growing up in a poor community (where role models are not in plentiful supply) it would be dangerous to understate that particular benefit of comprehensive education. Grammar schools would cream off many such role models.
Forcing new grammars to admit a minimum number of disadvantaged students is not the answer, either. No quota system could guarantee that disadvantaged students would thrive in that environment and would probably have to lower entry requirements in order to ensure the requisite number of poorer pupils. And apart from those who sneak in via a quota, the unlucky many will get left behind with devastating consequences for existing good schools.Forcing new grammars to admit a minimum number of disadvantaged students is not the answer, either. No quota system could guarantee that disadvantaged students would thrive in that environment and would probably have to lower entry requirements in order to ensure the requisite number of poorer pupils. And apart from those who sneak in via a quota, the unlucky many will get left behind with devastating consequences for existing good schools.
The Fair Education Alliance believes that every child should have access to a world class education, irrespective of their socio-economic background. So we’ve started a petition to build opposition to new grammar schools and instead show civil society’s support for a positive agenda for change. That includes bold action to attract the best leaders and teachers into the most deprived parts of the country, investment in improving the quality of early years and guaranteeing the provision of impartial careers advice to poor families.The Fair Education Alliance believes that every child should have access to a world class education, irrespective of their socio-economic background. So we’ve started a petition to build opposition to new grammar schools and instead show civil society’s support for a positive agenda for change. That includes bold action to attract the best leaders and teachers into the most deprived parts of the country, investment in improving the quality of early years and guaranteeing the provision of impartial careers advice to poor families.
It is hard to believe that after the vote in June, we are once again gambling with the futures of our young people. However, despite the fact that Thurrock, Windsor, Maidenhead and others are already drawing up plans to rapidly build new grammars, this regrettably regressive proposal can still be stopped. London has shown what it can do for the life chances of poor children. It’s time to work together to show that comprehensive education can be a powerful engine of social mobility.It is hard to believe that after the vote in June, we are once again gambling with the futures of our young people. However, despite the fact that Thurrock, Windsor, Maidenhead and others are already drawing up plans to rapidly build new grammars, this regrettably regressive proposal can still be stopped. London has shown what it can do for the life chances of poor children. It’s time to work together to show that comprehensive education can be a powerful engine of social mobility.