Do you think grammar schools are a good idea?
(Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’ve got more to say!)
- 40% said Yes
- 9% said I’m undecided
- 51% said no
Comments
said on 3 October 2016
no Because they only teach you grammar not any other
said on 2 October 2016
Please forgive me for my controversial and heartfelt view. Grammar schools, executed correctly and widely available will, allow for all children of aspirational parents to be educated together. Parents are important as the fullest education of a child comes from a child-teacher-parent cooperation. Where it should be that the latter is missing the teacher is not able to completely fill the gap. This means that in grammar school well-behaved, well-motivated and well-supported studious, children are educated together. I attended a comprehensive where well-behaved and studious meant being a target for bullies. My children attend grammar schools where getting top grades wins friends, not creates enemies. I do not believe that grammar schools should be given higher funding per student - in fact they could arguably need less - due to the point regarding behaviour made earlier. This would allow more funding - targeted at improving aspiration and behaviour in the non-selective schools.
said on 27 September 2016
I sit on admission appeals panels from time to time and am constantly baffled by the parents concept of how much better they perceive grammar schools to be, even when presented with exam results clearly showing that at least 2 of the local comprehensive schools consistently outperform them. I passed the old 11 + and therefore got a place at grammar school. I chose instead to go to the local comp, knowing that my grades would be the same at whichever school I went to as I knew it was down to me and not the school to do the work. It also meant I was able to spend more time out of school doing things I loved such as riding and hockey, without wasting over 2 hours a day travelling. When it came to sixth form, I looked again at the grammar school, but was totally put off by the attitude of the staff who consistently referred to prospective students from other schools as "outsiders", where was the inclusivity?
said on 27 September 2016
I don't want a system in which children think they have failed. We need smaller classes in the early years to help all learners. We need parents to really value teachers and teaching and have high, but realistic aspirations for their own children. We don't need every child to attend university but need children who do want to. We need children to develop into resilient, respectful and contented adults
said on 25 September 2016
Having been through the system, I feel this is an unfair way to segregate young children and to affect their life chances in an often negative way.
said on 25 September 2016
create even greater divisions in our polarised education system
said on 23 September 2016
More focused on education
said on 21 September 2016
I think grammar is really important so is good if you learn it.
said on 17 September 2016
The argument that all schools should be improved is moot; numerous successive governments have tried to achieve this without success. The more able are being failed in both state primary and secondary schools and many become disaffected as a result. However, grammar schools should only be an option for children coming through state primary schools; private-school educated children should not be allowed to take places from those who cannot afford private education.
Anon said on 14 October 2016
Can we have a poll asking if secondary moderns are a good idea?