PETITIONS FOR GRAMMAR SCHOOL BALLOTS

Summary

That this House notes that a study of cohorts of individuals with similar academic abilities, as determined by SATs at age 14, has established that students in comprehensive schools do as well or better than their academic counterparts at grammar schools, that the Minister for Education and Employment, Lords Official Report, 15th March, column 1546, has confirmed that the performance of the top 24 per cent. of students at comprehensive schools exceeds that of students at grammar schools and that despite this clear evidence that a comprehensive system of education achieves better education outcomes than selective education, there are several local education authorities that continue to select about a quarter of children for a grammar school education at age 11 and who do not offer any comprehensive alternative; further notes that the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, rightly made it possible for parents to call a ballot to address this issue but, in areas where there is a predominantly selective education system, the size and complexity of the trigger petition is a practical impossibility for volunteer workers; welcomes the Secretary of State's promise to review the rules governing the collection of a petition for a ballot on the future of selective education; and hopes that fairer and more practical arrangements can be put in place for the coming academic year.

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Timeline

1. 27 June 2000

   Early Day Motion

   That this House notes that a study of cohorts of individuals with similar academic abilities, as determined by SATs at age 14, has established that students in comprehensive schools do as well or better than their academic counterparts at grammar schools, that the Minister for Education and Employment, Lords Official Report, 15th March, column 1546, has confirmed that the performance of the top 24 per cent. of students at comprehensive schools exceeds that of students at grammar schools and that despite this clear evidence that a comprehensive system of education achieves better education outcomes than selective education, there are several local education authorities that continue to select about a quarter of children for a grammar school education at age 11 and who do not offer any comprehensive alternative; further notes that the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, rightly made it possible for parents to call a ballot to address this issue but, in areas where there is a predominantly selective education system, the size and complexity of the trigger petition is a practical impossibility for volunteer workers; welcomes the Secretary of State's promise to review the rules governing the collection of a petition for a ballot on the future of selective education; and hopes that fairer and more practical arrangements can be put in place for the coming academic year.

   Source: Early Day Motion

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Sponsors

• Dr Stephen Ladyman · Labour · Primary sponsor

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