Should our grammars have catchment areas?

[Amber]

Well thank you Tolstoy, I do appreciate the support. I was hurt by the suggestion that I was being snobbish as I have spent most of my professional life supporting children who are socially disadvantaged and struggling at school. I am absolutely the last person who would ever make conceited remarks about others...my remark about the area around Pates was designed to show what an unequal system it is and how many families are unable to access the type of education provided there. I do both paid and voluntary work with children who don't have the best start in life and it is a source of great anger to me that grammar school selection is so unequal. Though I cannot for the life of me see why, my view seems to have been misinterpreted. That some posters have chosen to question my motivation is a bit hard to take, but if they are determined to interpret my remarks in that way there is little I can do other than protest that it was not meant that way. I can't pretend I am not upset by it though.

[stroudydad]

Amber, pleAsedont think I was being personal as I wasn't,it fissions
Quite
Bad though. My agreement with Lynne though wasmore pointed at her further comments. Hope this clarifies a little.

[Amber]

Amber, pleAsedont think I was being personal as I wasn't,it fissions
Quite
Bad though. My agreement with Lynne though wasmore pointed at her further comments. Hope this clarifies a little.

Well it's an interesting explanation, certainly.

[faitaccompli]

Amber, pleAsedont think I was being personal as I wasn't,it fissions
Quite
Bad though. My agreement with Lynne though wasmore pointed at her further comments. Hope this clarifies a little.

Well it's an interesting explanation, certainly.

beautifully put, Amber

[stroudydad]

Sorry. I've been iphoned, and was a bit bleary eyed too. .

[faitaccompli]

Sorry. I've been iphoned, and was a bit bleary eyed too. .

it looked rather like an iphoneism - have you checked out the website http://www.damnyouautocorrect.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ?
It makes me cry with laughter. better than snapping at each other whilst we wait for the letter/emails!

[capers123]

Bearing Ambers comments in mind, I do wonder if a slighty better way to run the 11+ would be in school for the whole class, along with tutoring for the whole class as part of the normal school day? If the teachers put as much energy into that as SATs...

Yes, the better off parents would still pay for extra tutoring, but at least all children would have an idea of how to do the exam, and the extra tuition would be less of a deciding factor.

Children who are bright but from disadvantaged families who may never consider entering them for the 11+ would be more likely to pass.

It worked very well in Surrey when I was young. We had children fron nice middle class backgrounds in the class and children from council estates. There was no snobbery once into the grammar 'cause we were all equal. It may be true that I was picked up from school a few times in a Rolls Royce. The following day in my dads' builders van (my uncle was Freddie Laker's chauffuer - hence the Rolls).

[stroudydad]

Capers can you please run for the post of education minister...

[stroudydad]

Sorry. I've been iphoned, and was a bit bleary eyed too. .

it looked rather like an iphoneism - have you checked out the website http://www.damnyouautocorrect.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ?
It makes me cry with laughter. better than snapping at each other whilst we wait for the letter/emails!

Yes I've seen it, it's brilliant.

[Stressed?Moi?]

Bearing Ambers comments in mind, I do wonder if a slighty better way to run the 11+ would be in school for the whole class, along with tutoring for the whole class as part of the normal school day? If the teachers put as much energy into that as SATs...

Yes, the better off parents would still pay for extra tutoring, but at least all children would have an idea of how to do the exam, and the extra tuition would be less of a deciding factor.

Children who are bright but from disadvantaged families who may never consider entering them for the 11+ would be more likely to pass.

It worked very well in Surrey when I was young. We had children fron nice middle class backgrounds in the class and children from council estates. There was no snobbery once into the grammar 'cause we were all equal. It may be true that I was picked up from school a few times in a Rolls Royce. The following day in my dads' builders van (my uncle was Freddie Laker's chauffuer - hence the Rolls).

I do agree with this. Untutored children are very much at a disadvantage to tutored ones and the schools. The state school that my children left made no attempt to assist (or even mention) grammar school to the pupils.