Prime Minister Theresa May has announced proposals to bring back more Grammar Schools. Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron explains why he feels that Grammar Schools block rather than aid social mobility:
There are currently only 164 grammar schools left in England but none in Wales or Scotland
I get why grammar schools seem an easy solution. Too many parents are understandably concerned about the standard of education their children are receiving. With school budgets squeezed to breaking point, class sizes growing, teachers feeling overworked and an increasingly narrow curriculum, it is little wonder some parents look for alternatives.
But the answer is not to pick out a few “gifted” children at age 11 while ignoring the needs of many millions more. Instead, we should seek to give every child the excellent education they deserve.
Yes, there are inspiring stories about children from deprived backgrounds thriving in selective schools but overall the picture Conservatives paint of grammar schools as engines of social mobility is not borne out by the facts. Saying, “I went to grammar school and did well” is dodging the issue of what happens to those who don’t get a place and, crucially, how we make sure all children, not just the lucky few, are given the opportunity to “do well”.
What is a grammar school? Why does May want to bring them back?
A child from a poor family trying to get into grammar school faces a challenge similar to a football team playing uphill. By 11 only 75 per cent of the poorest children reach the Government’s expected level compared with 97 per cent of the wealthiest children.
Conservative MP Graham Brady says successful local education authorities tend to contain grammar schools. But selective areas also tend to be richer, which boosts exam results. They also cream off bright children from nearby areas.
It is now so competitive to get into grammar schools in west Kent it has been reported that a third of pupils attended a private prep school first, where children benefit from smaller classes and other advantages. Even where grammar pupils have been to state primaries, those from poorer backgrounds miss out on private coaching for the entrance exams, which is enjoyed by wealthier friends.
Comprehensive schools admit all pupils regardless of their academic ability
Overall, grammars block rather than aid social mobility. I would not try to solve problems in our schools by building entirely new grammars. Where there is money to create more schools – and they are much needed – these should be open to all children, including those from poorer backgrounds.
I want middle-class children to succeed but I want working-class children to have the same chance because it is fundamentally fair and because it makes no economic sense to marginalise huge swathes of the population purely due to the chance of birth.
And then there is the impact on the wellbeing of children themselves. What about those judged not to have shone sufficiently to make it to grammar, courtesy of tests taken aged 11? However unfairly, such children can be made to feel they have failed, with stark consequences for the rest of their lives. Confidence hit, friendships broken and siblings bused vast distances to different schools.
Eleven is very early to decide futures. Studying was not my main interest at that age. I grew up in a terraced house on a busy road in Preston, Lancashire, raised by a single mother. She worked at a check-out but went back to night-school to better herself and eventually became a lecturer. Her success inspired me and showed me how education can be a route to a better life for all.
I went to a comprehensive and I want my children to succeed at their comprehensives. Rather than harking back to grammars and focusing only on those already thriving educationally let’s increase opportunities across society.
While in Government Liberal Democrats introduced free early learning, free school dinners and the pupil premium, giving schools extra cash for children from poor backgrounds. We also introduced an apprenticeship scheme.
These are the measures we should put more money behind – because, unlike more grammar schools, this increases opportunity for all.
This article appeared originally in the Daily Express.
