Education education education
It is the hot topic in our house at the moment
As we think about what is best for our children
And try to navigate the school system with them
This morning I read a news article that made my blood boil
And also made me decide once and for all
I do not want my children to sit the Kent Test
Take the 11 plus
Or go to grammar school
I do not want that for my children
Grammar schools in Kent are fiercely competitive
Even if you pass the Kent Test
You are not guaranteed admission
The Kent Test is actually a pet hate of mine
As a teacher I saw some of my brightest and most able pupils crushed
Because they did not pass the test
And they truly believed that their education would be inferior
Their life chances lesser
Than those of their peers who made it into a grammar school
There is a comprehensive now in Kent
That has a grammar stream
Not just a top set it says
But grammar school teaching!
According to head teacher Mary Boyle, this is not just a “top set”, but grammar school teaching.
She has promised parents and pupils they will study academic subjects “with rigour” and “in depth”. Her grammar stream pupils are aiming at the best universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.
This makes me mad
Implying that if you do not go to grammar school
You will not study rigourously or indepth
And you should not aim for the best universities
What utter nonsense!
I did not go to grammar school
I did not sit an 11 plus test
I went to a comprehensive school
I went on to gain a first class honours degree from Lancaster University
I loved school
I was bright and I worked hard
I had teachers who believed in me
And who had high expectations of me
All children should have that
Not only those at a grammar school
Or in a grammar stream
Georgia, 14, failed the eleven plus by just a few marks in Maths, so she came to Knole.
After a year, she was promoted into the grammar stream. Now she’s hoping to be a solicitor, and would like to go to Cambridge.
Now …
Now …
She should have always been working towards her dream
Being a solicitor should not be ruled out for a child who does not pass the Kent Test
Going to Cambridge is entirely possible even if you fail an 11 plus
Children should not be judged and labelled at any age
We should help children to achieve their goals
And let them aim high
When I think about what I want for my children in the future
I want them to be happy and healthy
I want them to feel safe and secure
I want them to know what whatever they choose to do or be
I will be beside them
I want my children to enjoy school
I want to play an active role in their learning
I want them to know there is so much more to understanding our world
Than what they are taught in a classroom
I want them to love reading
I want them to love learning new things
I want them to be able to articulate how they are feeling
I want them to find things that they are passionate about
I want them to make the very best of their lives
And I want to help them do and be
In every and any way that I can
I know that doing well at school will open doors
I know that exams are important
I know that university is valuable
And great fun too
I know all of this
I know that I am married to the cleverest, kindest man I know
I know that he can do absolutely anything he turns his mind to
From writing plays to making furniture
Developing software to fixing washing machines
Painting pictures, managing finances
This man has a first class MEng in Cybernetics and Computer Science
This man did not take the 11 plus or the Kent Test
He did not go to grammar school
He went to a good university
He came the top of his class
He is brave and gentle
Strong and loyal
He is everything I would ever wish my children to be
And he has parents who always believed he would make it
And he did
I do not want my children to sit the Kent Test
Take the 11 plus
Or go to grammar school
I do not want that for my children
We know where we want them to go to school
A mixed comprehensive
Where they can be together
And follow in their Daddy’s footsteps
At the school where he was once Head Boy
Following in Daddy’s footsteps together
And I want to be beside them
Every single step of the way
Well said; happiness and support is without question the most important. I went to a grammar school in Kent and I personally found it miserable as it was so very exam focussed and my interest and talents lay more around the arts. When I left to finish sixth form at a comprehensive it was like a breath of fresh air, being taken on my merits! I know some friends enjoyed the ethos of the grammar, but it did rather feel a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Mind you, that was some years ago now!
Hi
my daughter has just sat the 11+ in Dorset last September and I agree with alot of what you are saying above – I saw it when I was a primary school teacher myself However, knowing how passionate you are with all of your children I just wanted to share my recent experience.
I did the following with my daughter. I showed her three possible options for secondary school and we visited them all together last year. I then asked her where she wanted to go. She chose Parkstone Grammar. I told her that if she wanted to get into the school she would have to revise and work hard particularly as we are out of the catchment area. She worked very hard as it was what she wanted and I tutored her myself. All the time I reassured her that she could only do her best and that whatever the outcome we would be proud of her. She witnessed other children at her school crumble under the pressure due to being offered bribes if they passed. She had none of this and unbeknown to her the night before her first exam (she sat it twice) we gave her tickets to see War Horse in London in a card saying – we are already proud of you for working so hard. She was also aware that even if she passed she was not guaranteed a place particularly as she was out of the catchment. She sat the Bournemouth test and only 2 out of the 9 girls in her school passed – my daughter was one of them. A week later she sat the Poole one – the one she wanted and again passed achieving the highest score in her school. When we applied for her secondary schools online I gave her the option of having her results emailed or posted – again I gave her the choice (unlike some of the other parents who automatically chose email). My daughter chose to have it posted out to her as she wanted to do it at home with all of the family. Today the results were emailed – tomorrow she gets her result. She has a vague idea of her chances as she has heard about her friends. From the beginning of this process I knew it was key that she felt no pressure, she had to put in the work, which she did and that she has achieved the best she can. From day one both of my girls have always believed in themselves I know that if a child has the support of their parents/parent/carer no matter route they choose they will do well.
Glenda 🙂
This is so lovely, what a special mummy and daughter x Thank you x
Like Glenda I agree with a lot of what you said, particularly from my experience as a teacher. I think the key thing is the pressure, or lack of it, from the parents. Tobias chose to sit the grammar school tests knowing that he also had the option of other high schools or simply to continue bring educated at home. He was very self-motivated and worked extremely hard, but that was his choice entirely. We also celebrated his hard work with tickets to see War Horse before we knew the outcome. I’m pleased he got a place at grammar school but would have been equally proud of him either way for his work and attitude. I went to grammar school so a comprehensive would be a scary unknown for me if I’m honest, but with four other children it’s likely I’ll just have to get over that at some point! The easy thing would be to keep educating them all at home but I’ve always said they can choose and I will respect their choices.
I just hate the way the system divides people. And how some people in the grammar system feel those who did not go to grammar must have failed at some point earlier in their education and it is maddening to think there are adults who truly believe a child who does not go to grammar cannot do well in life. I am pleased for Tobias, Hannah, and for you x x x x x
Thank you Jennie. I agree it’s a crazy system and not fair. That probably makes me a terrible hypocrite but I just want Tobias to be happy. When we were looking round the schools I felt that the grammars were full of boys like him, whereas the comprehensives had a very different feel and I was afraid he’d stick out like a sore thumb and be bullied. When the time comes I’m sure it will be clear what’s best for Esther and William, and how lovely if it turns out to be daddy’s old school. We looked at daddy’s old school too, but it was independent so not really an option. One thing that kept us sane was knowing that home education was a serious alternative. I’d hate to go through such a stressful process without that fallback position. I think a healthy scepticism about the importance or otherwise of school was essential. There is so much more to education that can be contained in the school system and you are your child’s first and most important teacher xxx
Jennie I agree with you. I went to a mixed Comprehensive, although my head told my mum I’d probably pass the 11+ I didn’t take it. My school was streamed and I was in top sets. I got 10good GCSEs and 3 good A levels and went to the university I wanted. I got a 2:1, just 1% off a first, then an Make with distinction. I was a deputy Headteacher of an outstanding primary school by the age of 28. Why? Because my parents believed in me and encouraged and supported me all the way. But saying that, my brother went to grammar- because he wanted to. It was his choice amd again my parents supported him in that. He is gifted, no doubt about it (9A* and 1A at GCSE and 5 A at A level then medicine at Cambridge). But we both found our best way in life supported all the way by parents who believed in us. That’s the key. Xxx
Thank you Debbie x I can imagine Esther being rather like you when she is older x That would make me a very happy and proud Mummy x
One of my pet hates this is. I went to grammar school and it didn’t suit me at all, totally academically focused, no room for creativity or individual thought. Yes, I did well in my exams, but was utterly miserable! My younger brother didn’t get in – and having seen the fuss that had been made of me two years previously, this left him feeling really bad about himself.
I am happily bringing up my kids in a non-grammar area. I was told my daughter wouldn’t pass her gcse’s when she was 11, based on her CATs. Fortunately without grammar schools to fight for a place in, she had no idea that she had not done well. She went to the local comp, passed 13 GCSEs and is off to university to train to be a teacher in September. How I would love to shove that in the face of the woman who told me she wouldn’t pass anything!
This sort of ties in to your post about summer babies – she is an August baby, and was 3 weeks prem at that, so should have been a September baby and I genuinely think while they were writing her off at 11, she was just still catching up. I am happy that our comp system meant that when she hit her potential, she hadn’t already been written off or told she had failed – she was able to develop in her own time a little more.
Thank you for sharing x I hope your daughter loves being a teacher as much as I do x
As a teacher, I agree wholeheartedly with this post. You are a fantastic mother, I always feel very inspired by your blog. Xxx
I have a child at a Kent grammar school and a child at a mixed Comprehensive. Each of them is very happy and doing well at school. As a parent I’m very happy with both schools and feel that each of them is the right place for my child. I went to a mixed Comprehensive (there were no grammars where I lived) and was miserable because I was bright and had to underachieve and keep my head down in order not to be bullied. I look back on my schooldays with sadness and I think that I would have thrived at a grammar school. In my experience the pressure at my daughter’s grammar school comes solely from the parents of some of the girls there. It was my daughter’s choice to sit the 11+ or not and we supported her. Her school has always encouraged and made time for the girls to do voluntary work and many other non-academic activities. The pastoral care has been very good, especially when she had some ongoing health problems when she was younger. I have nothing but praise for this particular grammar school.
Thank you so much for sharing x It is good to hear positive stories about our education system. As a teacher I like to think people talk about the things we do well in schools as well as those we could do better x