Speed-read: Nick Gibb’s ‘Grammar School’ response to MPs

The government response to the education committee’s grammar schools report is out – editor Laura McInerney gives it the speed-read treatment. 

Over the 2016/17 academic year, the schools community was subject to a consultation on bringing back new grammar schools. In response, the parliamentary education committee investigated and published a series of recommendations.

Today, the government – by way of schools minister Nick Gibb – has published its response to these recommendations.

Note: it still hasn’t published its response to the consultation, which is now almost a year late.

Here, in brief and with all the jargon taken out, is what it says along with my comments:

Recommendations 1 & 2: Show how grammar schools help the Industrial strategy and how they will close the attainment gap

Nick Gibb response: We expect everyone to teach the EBacc and also the education secretary will lay out the Industrial Strategy

My view: Seriously, this is what it says.

Recommendation 3: Government must be cautious when comparing between high- and mixed-ability pupils at selective and non-selective schools

Nick Gibb response: We agree and the head of statistics has put in place procedures to ensure this happens.

My view: Not surprising given they were told off by the Statistics Authority.

Recommendation 4:  Tests should not be the only basis for grammar school admission

Nick Gibb response: We expect selective schools to reduce the impact of tutoring for tests and create free of charge mock tests and familiarisation programmes for everyone, but particularly children from disadvantaged

My view: This translates into ‘No, we are not going to make any change to grammar admissions’.

Recommendation 5: The Government must publish a thorough assessment of the impact of introducing greater selection on the wider school system, outlining all of the options considered

Nick Gibb response: We are doing lots of things that are impacting the wider system such as reviewing teacher recruitment and bringing in the national funding formula.

My view: It’s amazing how the 300 word answer to this question never once mentions selection, selective schools or grammars WHICH IS WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.

—

And that’s it! Maybe this is because the Department for Education is no longer spending any resource on looking into grammar school expansion. But one can never be too careful…