New Consultation on Transport - Important

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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scary mum
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by scary mum »

Yes, but Bucks doesn't have comprehensive schools, it has grammar and upper schools , so the great social leveller (hmmm) of the 11plus will now have an economic slant on it (or maybe I should say even more of an economic slant)
scary mum
Marylou
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by Marylou »

scary mum wrote:Yes, but Bucks doesn't have comprehensive schools, it has grammar and upper schools , so the great social leveller (hmmm) of the 11plus will now have an economic slant on it (or maybe I should say even more of an economic slant)
Precisely - I can't see how Bucks can claim to cater for grammar-qualified candidates in an upper school. If that's the case, why do they bother with the selection procedure at all?

If this transport proposal becomes policy, the first legal challenge should be interesting.
Marylou
newbucksdad
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by newbucksdad »

Yes, it does look like discrimination against many potential GS pupils - exactly what the system is supposed to prevent.

Also, there is no guarantee that a space will be available even for those who are prepared to pay for it. There would be nothing to stop the Council using smaller buses in the future, when fewer children get free travel from a given location. In which case there may be no spaces at all for paying children. Very few locations in Bucks will have decent public transport alternatives, so those affected wiill either have to group together to organise new private bus services, or drive their children to school with the attendant traffic hassle (and restriction on ability to work elsewhere) that that would bring.
Sally-Anne
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by Sally-Anne »

The BCC website is partially down this weekend for maintenance, and the consultation document is not available at present. The interactive consultation does appear to be working though.
pippi
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by pippi »

Sally-Anne wrote:If they described Upper schools as for "children of lower/ lesser ability there would be total public outrage. I am afraid that saying it follows logically doesn't really apply, pippi. Sorry!
They don't have to say anything on this subject - they haven't in previous years. If Upper Schools are for all abilities, then surely they could count as the nearest suitable secondary school for all mainstream pupils.
Marylou
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by Marylou »

Does this mean that Upper Schools can start calling themselves comprehensives?
Marylou
hermanmunster
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by hermanmunster »

pippi wrote:
Sally-Anne wrote:If they described Upper schools as for "children of lower/ lesser ability there would be total public outrage. I am afraid that saying it follows logically doesn't really apply, pippi. Sorry!
They don't have to say anything on this subject - they haven't in previous years. If Upper Schools are for all abilities, then surely they could count as the nearest suitable secondary school for all mainstream pupils.

That is exactly what happens in Lancashire - they say that the local non selective is suitable for everyone - if you really want to go and take an exam that is up to you and you have to pay the travel. Interesting they are also charging for travel to faith schools now (of which there are many).
Marylou
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by Marylou »

hermanmunster wrote:
pippi wrote:
Sally-Anne wrote:If they described Upper schools as for "children of lower/ lesser ability there would be total public outrage. I am afraid that saying it follows logically doesn't really apply, pippi. Sorry!
They don't have to say anything on this subject - they haven't in previous years. If Upper Schools are for all abilities, then surely they could count as the nearest suitable secondary school for all mainstream pupils.

That is exactly what happens in Lancashire - they say that the local non selective is suitable for everyone - if you really want to go and take an exam that is up to you and you have to pay the travel. Interesting they are also charging for travel to faith schools now (of which there are many).
Is the testing in Lancashire opt-in, or opt-out? In Buckinghamshire, it's opt-out. (i.e. everyone does the selection test unless they choose not to.) This suggests that it is an intrinsic part of the system. This is not the case in areas where the test is done on an opt-in basis. At least, imo.
Marylou
Sally-Anne
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by Sally-Anne »

hermanmunster wrote:That is exactly what happens in Lancashire - they say that the local non selective is suitable for everyone - if you really want to go and take an exam that is up to you and you have to pay the travel. Interesting they are also charging for travel to faith schools now (of which there are many).
But Lancashire is not a fully bi-partite system in the way that Bucks is. Here you have to opt out of the 11+ test, so effectively BCC is ssaying "You are expected to take the 11+, but don't expect us to facilitate you actually attending one if you qualify". It is the reverse of the system in Lancs.

(Cross-post with marylou.)
guest666
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Re: New Consultation on Transport - Important

Post by guest666 »

Marylou wrote:hermanmunster wrote:
That is exactly what happens in Lancashire - they say that the local non selective is suitable for everyone - if you really want to go and take an exam that is up to you and you have to pay the travel. Interesting they are also charging for travel to faith schools now (of which there are many).
But Lancashire is not a fully bi-partite system in the way that Bucks is. Here you have to opt out of the 11+ test, so effectively BCC is ssaying "You are expected to take the 11+, but don't expect us to facilitate you actually attending one if you qualify". It is the reverse of the system in Lancs.
And it is precisely what has happened in Slough, which had retained the fully selective system from when Slough was in Bucks.
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