Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Comprehensives failing least able
Selection offers opportunities, says Tory leader The issue of school selection has been pushed to the forefront of the government’s education agenda and continues to spark debate about whether we should have more grammar schools. With Kent at the heart of
The most recent announcement by our grammar-school educated Prime Minister made the point that she wishes to extend the educational opportunities she enjoyed to more young people, particularly those in less affluent areas.
This will be warmly welcomed by parents across the country.
Many untruths have been peddled by opponents of selective education, some of whom seek to deny the opportunities that they enjoyed to the most academically able children in our society.
Theresa May pointed out during Prime Minister’s questions that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had also enjoyed a grammar school education and said many of those now opposing grammars: “Will take advantage of a good education for themselves and pull up the ladder behind them for other people.”
Grammar schools provide an essential vehicle for social mobility for the much-maligned middle class as well as the less well-off children to compete in the top professions, which are dominated by the privately educated.
Critics of grammar schools, particularly on the left, would like to see their destruction, to be replaced by a “one size fits all” comprehensive system for young people.
Yet they do not criticise those schools that operate under specialist status, offering choice for young people who excel in music, sports, arts and languages and special needs schools for those with special educational needs.
Why should grammar schools, which are in effect specialist schools for the most academically able, incur their wrath?
In this country, I believe that we should be focusing on the fact the comprehensive model fails to support the 20% of the least academically able at the other end of the academic spectrum.
Nationally the performance of our secondary schools is measured on academic attainment at GCSE level, termed a Level 2 qualification (five A-CS including English and maths).
Nationally 6.5% of all 16-18 year-olds do not progress into any form of education, employment or training, known as NEETS, as referenced in the July 2016 government white paper Post 16 Skills Plan.
This is an enormous waste of talent and must not be allowed to continue.
The solution is to replicate the Dutch and German secondary education model, where grammar schools work alongside excellent technical and vocational schools, giving youngsters the opportunities to explore their talents and learn and acquire skills geared towards the local economy.
This model allows all young people to succeed and reach their full potential
A singular focus on academia comes at the expense of a broader education that allows young people to succeed in life and in the workplace.
‘This is an enormous waste of talent and must not continue’
all born with different skills, talents and abilities.
A good school’s system should build on the strengths of all young people, allowing them to strive and reach their full potential to succeed in life.
For the least academically able, the system is failing them; one size does not fit all!