boris wrote:
Was anybody else throwing things at their radio yesterday (radio two lunchtime) when they were spouting nonsense about grammar schools lowering the standard of the local eduction? Please can somebody explain how this is so? ALso I am interested to know how grammar schools can undertake to take a proportion of children form deprived backgrounds? if the parents of these children can get their children enrolled and to the test then how are they missing out - and if they can't how will the schools know they are of high enough ability to qualify?
In my day everybody sat the test. There was no fanfare, no build up, no coaching and it was sat at school in normal school time and the places were offered on the results. Surely that method didn't leave any child out? Once they are offered a place the logistics of free travel and meals can be dealt with? The only problem left then is that of cramming in public schools which apparently is prohibited in state schools. Dont get me started on that as that truly does perpetuate the social inequality into grammar schools - but nobody ever seems to mention that....
OK rant over - I need to step away from the laptop now

I think long gone are the days where it is just public schs that cram pupils. State schs do nothing to help but the rise in the number of tutors & mock test centres says a lot. Many state sch pupils are now crammed up to the eyeballs sadly

Nothing against mocks, I used 1 for each of my dc so they were familiar with a test setting but some dc literally sit mocks all summer long, that amount of pressure can’t be good for a child’s mental health. Over the years I’ve been involved with 11+, the pressure seems to have increased year on year
