23rd May 2018 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Plans have been announced to allow grammar schools in England to expand the number of students they accept. Reported on the BBC, the news comes after Theresa May’s proposal to create a lot of new grammar schools was rejected in parliament. However, the existing grammar schools have been told that they will have to accept more disadvantaged pupils, possibly by lowering the entrance requirements.
Grammar schools have always been controversial because they accept students based on performance in the 11-plus exams which are taken aged 10-11. Opponents argue that grammar schools cream off the best students from the neighbourhood creating an unfair advantage for the students who gain a place. The new scheme would allow schools to bid for a share of a £50m expansion fund which could mean simply accepting more students or creating another site controlled by an existing school.
The education secretary, Damian Hinds, said that this would give parents greater choice, but the news comes as the Association of Head Teachers is campaigning for extra funding for non-selective state schools, which make up the majority of our education system. Whereas the expansion plans will help a small number of disadvantaged students, it could be argued that any increase in budget should be used to improve the overall standard of state school education, rather than putting in the hands of schools with students privileged enough to already be receiving a high standard of teaching.