grammar schools | Schools Week

Film company targets ‘grammar teachers’ in recruitment video

Grammar school teachers are being singled out to feature in a “government-led” TV campaign, although the Department for Education (DfE) says it has not commissioned a production company. Just So Films has asked full-time teachers in secondary “state and grammar schools” to get in touch if they want to feature in a film that will […]

Heads say ‘no’ to Theresa May’s grammar ‘conversion’ consultation

Two schools on prime minister Theresa May’s doorstep will shun any opportunity to convert to grammars, claiming it would put “high quality education available to all students at risk”. The Royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council – which covers May’s constituency – asked for its secondary schools’ views on introducing partial or full selection. […]

Nicky Morgan, Nick Clegg and Lucy Powell to lead grammar schools debate

Three political opponents will lead a debate on social mobility this afternoon after joining forces to fight the government’s plans to open new grammar schools. Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary, Lucy Powell, the former shadow education secretary and Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister and Liberal Democrat leader have secured the debate, due […]

ASCL 2017: Justine Greening heckled by heads over grammar plans

School leaders heckled the education secretary Justine Greening today over claims that grammar schools help close the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils. Heads shouted “rubbish” and audibly groaned as Greening took questions about her plan to expand selection during an otherwise ordered and polite session at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual […]

Grammar school taxis could cost £5k a pupil

Plans to fund free transport for disadvantaged pupils to grammar schools could leave councils and schools out of pocket, with one Oxfordshire councillor warning that the move could cost up to £5,000 a child in taxi fares. In Wednesday’s Budget, the chancellor Philip Hammond announced that the government’s “extended rights” transport scheme will soon include […]

More heads consider resigning over funding cuts

More experienced headteachers are ready to resign over budget cuts that would “decimate” their schools, it was claimed today. Richard Slade, headteacher of Plumcroft Primary School, in Greenwich, said the government is facing a headteacher recruitment crisis because of the crippling funding cuts. Mary Sandell resigned last month as headteacher of The Forest School, in […]

Grammars profit from sales of ‘mock’ 11-plus exams

Grammar schools are pocketing tens of thousands of pounds from mock 11-plus tests, fuelling worries that reintroducing selective schools will “end up assessing wealth not ability”. Sutton grammar school’s parent teacher association (PTA) openly advertises the sale of mock tests at £28 a pupil to help to prepare them for entrance exams. A newsletter put […]

School funding, grammars… 2016 has been ridiculous

If someone had said this time last year that by the end of 2016 I would be on the same side as Nicky Morgan and Lucy Powell and we’d all be trying to stop the first completely comprehensively-educated secretary of state from bringing back grammar schools I would have laughed in their face. 2016 has, […]

Consultation responses reveal widespread resistance to government selection plans

Education organisations have today outlined their opposition to the government’s new selective school proposals. Schools Week has rounded up the key arguments from official responses submitted as part of the government’s consultation on scrapping the ban on new grammar schools, which closes today. The ‘Schools that work for everyone’ green paper also includes plans to […]