Now it seems that the Tory leadership (half of which went to public schools) are ready to ditch their lemming-like attachment to grammer schools, I wonder what are the opinions of other forumites on this subject.
I'll be honest, I went to a secondary modern school (a pretty good one, funnily enough, it's now one of the top comprehensive schools in the North of England) and unlike "Two Jags" Prescott, I haven't got an inferiority complex about it.
Half of my mates went to grammer school and did not go to uni. but became Engineers like myself, also achieving the same grades at college.
It wasn't until recently that I found out that the grammer schools used to get three times the amount of funding that secondary modern schools received. It made me wonder, would they have been "Center's of academic excellence" had the funding been the other way round?
Comments please forumites.
P.S. On returning to the U.K. Prescott once said, "It's good to be back on terra cotta again!"
Grammer Schools.
Re: Grammer Schools.
I went to grammar school.
Among the many wondrous things I was taught, I learnt grammar - and how to spell the word.
Among the many wondrous things I was taught, I learnt grammar - and how to spell the word.
Re: Grammer Schools.
I read that there is going to be some backlash to these proposals.
I went to grammer school, then to university to "read" accountancy (no, don't laugh). I recall that there were significantly more thicko's attending my uni than at GS.
I went to grammer school, then to university to "read" accountancy (no, don't laugh). I recall that there were significantly more thicko's attending my uni than at GS.
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stripeysydney
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Re: Grammar schools.
God!!! I can't believe I did that, next time I'll make sure I use spell-check...Doh!
Re: Grammer Schools.
What are you suggesting Trumpton .. dilution from above from the public school system or from below from the comprehensives ?
It must have been a great source of comfort to you (and perhaps it continues to be so), to be able to survey a room and congratulate yourself 'Yup, cleverer than him ... cleverer than him ... brighter than her'. The people who live by that particular sword only ever tell you about their triumphs though, they're never apt to point out the people that are 'better' or more successful than them because that would be to admit a weakness and a failing and Lord knows, we wouldn't want to do that would we !
It must have been a great source of comfort to you (and perhaps it continues to be so), to be able to survey a room and congratulate yourself 'Yup, cleverer than him ... cleverer than him ... brighter than her'. The people who live by that particular sword only ever tell you about their triumphs though, they're never apt to point out the people that are 'better' or more successful than them because that would be to admit a weakness and a failing and Lord knows, we wouldn't want to do that would we !
Re: Grammer Schools.
I went to a comprehensive and I am proud to say that at 11 I rejected the chance to sit the 11-plus for what grammar schools remained in Birmingham.
My school had its ups and downs; but is now an Academy and I read of its marvellous exam results as an Academy.
I have no regrets- the sooner the remaining grammar schools become Academies the better.
My school had its ups and downs; but is now an Academy and I read of its marvellous exam results as an Academy.
I have no regrets- the sooner the remaining grammar schools become Academies the better.
Re: Grammer Schools.
When I attended university in the late 70's there was a wide range of "class" backgrounds. The "upper/middle class" people were equally split between the academically sound ones and the thickies. Similarly with those from the "working class" the percentage was about the same between the bright ones and the thickos!
All this is based upon my personal reflections of that particular time. I'm certainly not setting myself up to be intellectually superior or inferior to anyone then or now!
All this is based upon my personal reflections of that particular time. I'm certainly not setting myself up to be intellectually superior or inferior to anyone then or now!
Re: Grammer Schools.
I'm passionately apolitical and passionately in favour of grammar schools. I went to one and without it could never have conceived of going to a decent university. I grew up on an estate and it was my free education that gave me other options and chances my parents never had. I still feel I owe the school so much, even though I hated the discipline at the time, and got done over regularly for wearing the uniform of the 'ponce' school.
To me, the problem with the old grammar/secondary modern system was that it wasn't truly permeable. It was very difficult to move to grammar school from secondary modern, if you proved to be a late-bloomer academically. A school-system which truly recognises that kids have different aptitiudes, and teaches to their strengths, is by far the fairest. The comprehensive system serves nobody properly. It demeans those who aren't academic and hinders those who are. The point is there should be no stigma attached about going to either a vocationally-orientated school, or an academically-orientated one. Each to their own.
Cameron is an over-privileged, chinless, cock, with five Etonians in his shadow-cabinet. What the fuck would he know about education being a ticket out ? He thinks taking a swipe at grammar schools will make him seem non-elitest and therefore it's a vote-getter. That's bollocks. Life is about competiition. The point is to create a meritocratic system where everyone gets the chance to compete at the highest level. I think a two-tier system can do that.
To me, the problem with the old grammar/secondary modern system was that it wasn't truly permeable. It was very difficult to move to grammar school from secondary modern, if you proved to be a late-bloomer academically. A school-system which truly recognises that kids have different aptitiudes, and teaches to their strengths, is by far the fairest. The comprehensive system serves nobody properly. It demeans those who aren't academic and hinders those who are. The point is there should be no stigma attached about going to either a vocationally-orientated school, or an academically-orientated one. Each to their own.
Cameron is an over-privileged, chinless, cock, with five Etonians in his shadow-cabinet. What the fuck would he know about education being a ticket out ? He thinks taking a swipe at grammar schools will make him seem non-elitest and therefore it's a vote-getter. That's bollocks. Life is about competiition. The point is to create a meritocratic system where everyone gets the chance to compete at the highest level. I think a two-tier system can do that.