The issue of grammar schools have cropped up again when Prime Minister Theresa May announced an allocation of £50 million for 2018-19, with details of the remaining £150 million to be announced later.
Grammar schools are state schools that select pupils based on their academic ability. Students are offered places after sitting exams, often at the age of 11, which test skills such as verbal reasoning and maths.
There are 163 grammar schools in England, many of which set their own admissions criteria and the type of entrance tests they use. Grammar schools differ from comprehensive schools, which are non-selective.
Grammar schools were intended to teach the most academically-able 25% of students as selected by the 11-plus exam. There are 163 grammar schools in England, many of which set their own admissions criteria and the type of entrance tests they use.
The beneficiaries of the grammar schools are children from wealthier ground. Children from working class are left behind which put brakes on social mobility.
Only a handful of local authorities in England have kept a largely selective schools system, while in other places, only a few grammar schools have survived in an otherwise fully comprehensive system.
The initial amount of £50 million for the government would be better spent helping cash-strapped comprehensive schools then to give to well financed grammar schools.
The earlier move by Theresa May to expand grammar schools failed, she is now changed her tactics by saying this amount will help to create more school places to provide a chance for bright students from poorer backgrounds to get a higher standard of education without having to pay school fees. This is a red herring to divert the attention from the real issue which is the expansion of grammar schools.
However, several academic studies have shown that selective education offers little benefit to pupils. And the final hard knock is that schools are at breaking point as a result of the crisis caused by consistent Conservative education cuts.
These schools already need to find an extra £3bn of savings by 2019/20 And according to the School Cuts website, primary schools face an average cut of £45,400, which rises to £185,200 for secondary schools.
This decision is inappropriate and is causing divisions and segregation of students and harming the education system.
Baldev Sharma
Rayners Lane, Harrow
