Comment My debt of gratitude to city grammar school
GOVERNMENT proposals to bring back up to 24 grammar schools in parts of the country should be welcomed, as they give pupils from inner-city areas, predominantly black Asian and minority ethnic, a boost into university and on to successful careers.
A grammar education not only looks good on the CV but, by passing the selection exam, talented pupils from diverse and working-class backgrounds are given a psychological push as well; a self-belief that often shatters the glass ceiling to achievement allowing them to venture into professions that they would not traditionally go into.
I have never forgotten this as a product of an inner-city Birmingham grammar school.
Gaining GCSEs and A-levels from Handsworth Grammar School in the late 1990s gave me a strong sense of self-esteem and self-worth when competing against others at university and in the jobs market.
It gave me a boost into a successful civilian and military career, instilling in me the belief that, through hard work and perseverance, anything I put my mind to can be achieved.
My Brummie accent became a source of pride, and reminder of my upbringing in Handsworth to a second generation migrant family, in all I did: from reading at Londonbased universities to working in the United States, I stood out and sounded different and it was a good thing.
When I broke into television journalism with ITV Central News and later with Sky News, I never forgot where I came from and sought to ensure people of diverse backgrounds and their stories were represented in mainstream media.
But I have always been aware of how, for me, it could have been a very different story because, at the first hurdle, I failed my 11-plus exam and went to a comprehensive school.
In doing so I was to learn a hard but valuable lesson, the initial disappointment of my parents quickly turned to perseverance as they instilled in me the importance of doing well at school and the rewards it could bring.
They challenged me to work hard and pursue a grammar education as a catalyst to greater aspirations. I understood the opportunities this would bring in future and as my parents worked extra hours so I could be given extra tuition, their dream became my dream.
I worked hard and was presented a second chance when my future school had more vacancies.
I passed the 11-plus exam and understood that the hard work wasn’t over, it was only just beginning.
What I had gained from the experience was a stronger sense of myself, who I am and where I want to be in life. And also where my family have come from and how crucial opportunities for maximising potential are.
That’s not to say I could not have still been successful at the compre- hensive school I went to, only that, in proving myself through the selection, instilled values that have sustained my drive for continuously working to better myself.
A grammar education led me to pursue knowledge, put myself outside of my comfort zone and acquire new skills and to believe I could achieve anything I put my mind to.
Grammar schools maximise potential for those, like me, from non-traditional backgrounds or from underprivileged areas.
When they are located in inner cities and accessible to ethnic minorities, they can make a difference in the lives of those who focus on achieving and enable talent to shine.
Whole communities benefit from grammars as they give opportunity
What I had gained from the experience was a stronger sense of myself, who I am and where I want to be in life
to pupils who just need a chance in life to prove themselves.
All eyes will now be on Birmingham in October, when the Prime Minister is believed to be announcing that the ban on grammar’s will be lifted.
The Conservative Voice group, which is championing a return of grammars, say creating them in deprived areas will boost social mobility.
It certainly worked for me and many others in my school class. Jay Singh-Sohal is a writer and communications specialist who has served as a British Army public affairs officer in the Middle East. He is chairman of the WW1 Sikh Memorial and founded the annual “Saragarhi Day” commemoration event in the UK.