Independent schools gaming the system?
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Re: Independent schools gaming the system?
There is also quite a discrepancy between the pass rate in the major towns Vs the villages, with the former being much lower. I think the bucks overall is lower as all kids do it unless they opt out, whereas OOC parents are only going to go for it if they have coached their kids and they have a decent chance of passing.lea2124 wrote:I don't think it's the private schools that are the issue. It's the OOC children.
Here's the link for some of the statistics.
https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/451073 ... h-2018.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
5775 children in Bucks took the exam. The total amount of children who took the exam was 10069.
The children in Bucks who got automatic qualification was 26%. The children OOC who got automatic qualification was 47%.
Does this prove that the children in bucks are disadvantaged because no primary school in catchment can teach for the 11+? Or is it because people OOC are more likely to tutor the children to get a qualification where people in catchment are more against the whole system and therefore do not tutor. Either way the OOC children are pushing up the passmark which means less children in Bucks qualify which in turn puts more pressure on the secondary modern schools in our county. If the passmark was lowered to 117 or 118 more local children would qualify and then the only children who wouldn't get a place are the children OOC. This would also ease congestion in secondary schools.
But who am I to question this system?
Just a parent who's DS scored 120.75.........
It's going to be a long 105 days!
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Re: Independent schools gaming the system?
However one cuts the data, the inescapable conclusion is that the system generally selects on financial, cultural and social wealth rather than on innate suitability for grammar school. I don't see anything that persuades me otherwise and some well-qualified people on here have kindly provided research findings to help me form (and change) my view over the years. We can probably all give examples of heavily-tutored children not qualifying and some surprising examples of children qualifying with no preparation but those are the exceptions to the norm. The myth of grammar schools providing opportunity for social mobility is well and truly busted and it's becoming harder to find supporters of selective education who can present a compelling case. I attended a debate on the subject this year and the two panellists arguing for selective education were bludgeoned by their two opponents' use of research findings and data to the point where one conceded that their thinking had perhaps become outdated and the other resorted to reeling off anecdotal stories of children the system had helped, themselves included.
Re: Independent schools gaming the system?
+1 obviously.anotherdad wrote:However one cuts the data, the inescapable conclusion is that the system generally selects on financial, cultural and social wealth rather than on innate suitability for grammar school. I don't see anything that persuades me otherwise and some well-qualified people on here have kindly provided research findings to help me form (and change) my view over the years. We can probably all give examples of heavily-tutored children not qualifying and some surprising examples of children qualifying with no preparation but those are the exceptions to the norm. The myth of grammar schools providing opportunity for social mobility is well and truly busted and it's becoming harder to find supporters of selective education who can present a compelling case. I attended a debate on the subject this year and the two panellists arguing for selective education were bludgeoned by their two opponents' use of research findings and data to the point where one conceded that their thinking had perhaps become outdated and the other resorted to reeling off anecdotal stories of children the system had helped, themselves included.
It is unsustainable and should be abolished. There are no arguments in favour apart from those coming from middle class parents whose children pass. It is significant that when the comprehensive system was briefly introduced in the 1970s (and it was a very brief experiment, there are no comprehensives now), the loudest supporters of it were neither the 'red hot' socialists nor the parents of the poor who never had a hope of grammar schools anyway - they were the parents of middle class children who failed the 11+.
Re: Independent schools gaming the system?
I'm afraid I'm with Amber and anotherdad on this. Happy to debate the merits of mixed ability teaching vs streaming but the 11+ system is just too open to abuse.
It doesn't have to be this way though. A hard working child supported by their parents during their primary school years with minimal 11+ prep, can reach the GS standard. The 11+ is based on the primary curriculum after all.
It doesn't have to be this way though. A hard working child supported by their parents during their primary school years with minimal 11+ prep, can reach the GS standard. The 11+ is based on the primary curriculum after all.