Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
KCC vetoes review into results-driven school exclusions
Council helping families affected at grammar ‘As a practice, I think it is deplorable’
Kent education chiefs have ruled out an investigation into whether schools are ejecting students from their sixth form because of poor results.
The Department for Education has written to all schools warning them it is unlawful to exclude any child on the basis of their exam results.
It follows the disclosure that St Olave’s Grammar School in Bromley was facing the threat of legal action from a group of parents contesting the exclusion of their children – some of them from Kent – who had not done well in their AS exams.
The school has since relented and offered to take the pupils back.
Two grammar schools in the county – Invicta Girls Grammar and Maidstone Girls Grammar – have faced similar complaints but have strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Cllr Roger Gough, KCC cabi- net member for education, said it was deplorable if schools were excluding under-performing students.
But he said KCC had no plans for any inquiry and the publicity surrounding the issue would deter schools from engaging in the practise.
“As a practice, I think it is deplorable. There is a big distinction with schools discussing what will happen after GCSES and where it is best for students to go on to.
“It is quite different when you are half-way through a course and then a decision is made. That is wrong.”
He said that there were some parents involved in the St Olave’s dispute who had come to KCC for help.
“It has become our responsibility to look after them and find alternative provision. They suddenly were landed with nowhere to go.”
But he said there were no plans to carry out a review to assess if there was a wider problem in Kent.
“It is an issue we keep constantly under review.
“Given what has happened in the St Olave’s case, that may well affect practice across the country.”