Welski posted:
DaveO posted:
I don;t have a problem with that. Provided everyone is given the same opportunity to succeed. Grammar schools fail miserably in that regard.
Dave
Couldnt disagree more.
The 11+/Grammar school system tests not only a childs ability but that of the parents. Good parenting rather than fiancial status will ensure their offspring has the best chance of success at 11+ and therefore being given a great chance in life.
And what happens when 300 kids "pass" the 11 plus one year for the 200 places and the year after only 150 make the grade?
I'll tell you what happens. 100 from the first example are denied the opportunity given to the 200 that did get in. They are even denied it compared to 50 kids who will get in the year after who didn't do as well as them in the exam because you can bet your bottom dollar the grammar school will not take a reduced intake.
You can be the best parent of the lot but if the places are not there then there is nothing tou can do about it.
Deciding a child's academic future at age 11 is totally stupid and I like to think I am a prime example of why.
I failed my 11 plus, went to "secondary modern" where a number of subjects were simply not taught e.g. Chemistry and the aim was to prepare the kids as factory fodder.
My parents who are working class actually paid the exam fees for me to take O levels as the school would not put me in for them. I passed and left the school at 16 to go the grammar school to do my A levels which wasn't perfect because the exam boards used were different.
When it came time to go to Uni I was very fortunate that the prof of the Geology department recognised my rather odd route through school and set me a low offer for a place. My former education was still a problem though as the lack of chemistry ultimate made me realise I wasn't going to get a good Geology degree but fortunately that same geology prof insisted I do Computer Science and I ended up doing a degree in that. In fact for the first time since age 11 I was on a par with my peers because no one had done any computing before that as Computer Science A levels were then rare so at last I was not disadvantaged by my previous education.
The rest is history and I have been working in IT for over 20 years as well as being a tutor for the Open University.
I had to go through this ludicrous path all because of a stupid exam at age 11 despite the support of my parents.
What is even more crazy is I know for certain I was not the brightest of the kids at my secondary school and there were others who would have easily managed a university education had they been given the opportunity. They missed out because of that stupid exam.
This is exactly what is wrong now, everyone is not being given the same opportunity. The gifted ones are being held back by a culture of rewarding failure and discouraging competition across every spectrum of life.
Well the school my son goes to seems to do OK. It is a state High School and while there are problem kids there, our neighbours eldest daughter went to Sheffield this year to study denistry having left with striaght A's on four A levels.
It's a harsh lesson but in all forms of life there are winners and losers and for the good of the species only the winners survive. We wouldnt be here now if it wasnt the case.
I think that is a very simplistic view to take with regard to education compared to sport. In sport it is obvious the best rise to the top but basing education on a misguided application of that rule is not only unfair but wastes talent.
Dave