Page 1 of 1

Increase in applications for Grammars

Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:25 pm
by Sally-Anne
There is an article in today's Telegraph (unfortunately not available online) which claims to provide details of the increase in grammar school applications.

The title is "Ten children for each grammar school place", and it quotes a number of figures.

The numbers are in order of No. of places, applicants and % increase this year. Asterisk denotes "partial figures" whatever that may mean)

Bucks - 2126 - 7228 - +1.2%
Sutton* - 485 - 3772 - +5%
Bournemouth - 312 - 874 - +11%
Kingston - 260 - 2350 - +5%
Lincs - 1830 - 4351 - +1.4%
Medway - 976 - 2123 - no change
Kent - 4648 - 11500 - +21%
Torbay* - 280 - 550 - no change
Wirral - 696 - 1600 - no change

Other numbers quoted are:

Wallington County Grammar - almost 1500 pupils applying for 126 places

Wallington High School - 923 pupils applying for 180 places (2007 figure was 856 applications)

Tiffin School - 1290 boys/140 places, up more than 100 on last year.

Sale Grammar - 1519 pupils/ 180 places

I have checked the Bucks figures, which don't add up (last year's tested cohort was 7217, so if the figure in the paper is correct, Bucks should be "no change" but I thought I would post the numbers here for information anyway.

Sally-Anne

Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:32 pm
by Guest55

Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:57 pm
by T.i.p.s.y
It just shows how well everyone has done on here even with the increased competition. I think its going to get more competitive in the next 5 years if the economic climate doesn't improve. :(

Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:11 pm
by Sally-Anne
Guest55 wrote:Managed to find it on-line :D
Well done G55. :D The online headline is different to the printed one, so I was on a hiding to nothing!

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:19 am
by Grumpy Old Man
T.i.p.s.y wrote:It just shows how well everyone has done on here even with the increased competition. I think its going to get more competitive in the next 5 years if the economic climate doesn't improve. :(
Assuming the grammars remain!

If Labour are shedding their 'New' tag and win another term (God forbid!) the issue of the grammars may be resurrected. Even the Tories are lukewarm.

Grammars are already being 'forced' into consortia with other local schools and whilst certain local high schols seem to have benefitted, the endgame is to use the high performing grammars to up the stats for the poorer schools and eventually to let them quietly disappear.

Not that I am a cynic at all..............

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:25 am
by T.i.p.s.y
They should be doubling the amount of GS, after all if Labour want the end of independent schools then having more GS would assist the demise of many!

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:19 pm
by Grumpy Old Man
I believe that since the abolition of the vast majority of grammar schools the number of kids from less advantaged backgrounds going into tertiary education has fallen...and the governemnt want MORE such children at Uni!!!

Just like the hunting fiasco, never let facts stand in the way of 'class war', envy and bigotry!

That fits!!

Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:22 pm
by blackwellmum
There have been bits of information from parents in our area who are very pleased that due to the "Credit crunch"the numbers of parents applying for private schools this year have gone down. so I guess that would be true as many of us as parents want the best grammars rather than paying £8,000 plus per year!!!