To be fair I have a number of mates who went to Oxbridge who have had similar questions asked of them - but not because they went to Grammar schools obviously.
I wonder where all our high flyers went to school, given that there are only 164 grammar schools in the country and none in London?
My friend’s daughter went to a state comprehensive in north London and achieved the highest mark in the country for her A level Economics paper. She won an Exhibition to Cambridge and has become a highly respected Economic spokesperson.
If we just had comprehensive education nationwide, there would be a chance for every child to move within the school according to their strengths and weaknesses, given that young people develop at very different ages.
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The comprehensive system can handle it too. Artificial barriers were always the problem. I got moved up a year when I was five, but you end up doing the last year of school twice.
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Well Jeremy Corbyn, john mcDonnell and Diane Abbot all went to grammars 
In the days before comprehensive education of course and when selection was truly based on ability rather than ability to pay for tutoring
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My parents did pay for tutoring to get me safely into a grammar school in Surrey.
Primarily because the local comps in inner London were forever having some kind of gang and knife trouble and just generally being horrible places where anyone doing well in class would have the shit well and truly kicked out of them pronto.
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The Question Time leadership debate has to be one of the most interesting things I’ve seen in a while. I didn’t catch the first 23 minutes, but I saw the rest.
In some senses, it was relatively muted. Some of the earlier hustings featured sustained booing, always after Owen Smith had told a massive fucking porkie. That happened on a couple of occasions here, but nothing like as vicious as I’d seen before, and boy, was it deserved when it happened.
In others, it was electric, not least in the way that certain things were amplified. I often complain about Question Time and Dimbleby, always moaning that Question Time would be a better show live and that Dimbleby has a habit of losing focus, especially on those election all nighters. Both QT and Dimbleby were excellent. The latter was in especially truculent form, not taking any shit, which didn’t augur well for Owen Smith.
For many, this is going to be the first time they’ve seen Corbyn, certainly the battle-hardened leader he wasn’t in September 2015. A much more impressive act on his own terms. Set against Smith with a spiky Dimbleby as arbiter, Corbyn was never in any danger of losing this contest.
Smith just confirmed the level of shit he’s willing to throw to have a sniff.
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Theresa May, She’s been longing to bring back selective education.
It’s totally wrong. Politics is shifting to the extreme right across Europe and the US.
Surely that was the most important debate, given the timing relevant to the vote,(assuming those that haven’t voted yet could go either way). Also on question time, so relevant to the wider electorate as well. Basically a big deal for both of them. Corbyn was relaxed, assured and seemed to enjoy answering the questions, even the ones he is supposed to be weak on(trident/monarchy). He’ll have to be happy. What was Smith doing? My first thought was, answer the question instead of turning everything into “you can’t win an election Jeremy”(does he share a speech writer with Teresa May), then he morphed into Mr “i’ll say anything if i think it will appeal”. The American sounding bloke made him look stupid and then Dimbleby quoted him when he denied something. That was as big a political failure as i’ve ever witnessed. Up there with the best political comedies.
Think my personal favourite was the man that asked about serving under the other. He got very wound up with Smith.
Politics, good TV. Never thought i’d say that, but if you want to see a man destroy his own credibility, it’s a must see.
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So people criticise the Government for allowing school selection based on house prices, then when they look at a solution for this, they get criticised.
Riiiiiigggggghhhhht…
We already have selection. It happens at A level and University level. What the government needs to do is stop pretending that there’s something wrong with comprehensives, fund them properly and ensure that people have the funding to take their skills further.
The 50K barrier to entry for higher education is a bigger problem than not separating our kids at eleven.
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A couple of things:
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The point is there are a lot of low income areas without good schools. This is going to give those children from disadvantaged backgrounds but with ability the chance to go to a better school.
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Still don’t understand this barrier to entry when it’s not all payable up front. The barrier to entry is not the cost, it’s the education on how that cost is repaid.
Were is the solution? Haven’t you read any of the earlier posts. My daughter goes to a grammar school and she regularly confirms it’s full of middle class idiots tutored to within an inch of their lives(thanks whoever used that very fitting description earlier), all so mummy and daddy can brag to their friends that Giles and Jemina go to the grammar school, whilst knowing they have paid to deprive a more worthy child a place he/she deserved on merit.
Tories, what a fucking useless bunch leading the country. Suppose they were all tutored to help hide the stupidity that’s now obvious for all to see.
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The point is they have to take a certain amount of low income children. Yes, some will be tutored, but it won’t be to the detriment of the poor.
There’s little chance Tories got tutored to get into Grammar Schools, most of them paid outright for their education.
Originally posted by @Saint-or-sinner
Tories, what a fucking useless bunch leading the country. Suppose they were all tutored to help hide the stupidity that’s now obvious for all to see.
It is rather scary. I think we assume that people in government are going to be smarter and more capable than us. That’s proving extremely hard with Toxic Theresa and pals.
Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint
Originally posted by @Saint-or-sinner
Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint
So people criticise the Government for allowing school selection based on house prices, then when they look at a solution for this, they get criticised.
Riiiiiigggggghhhhht…
Were is the solution? Haven’t you read any of the earlier posts. My daughter goes to a grammar school and she regularly confirms it’s full of middle class idiots tutored to within an inch of their lives(thanks whoever used that very fitting description earlier), all so mummy and daddy can brag to their friends that Giles and Jemina go to the grammar school, whilst knowing they have paid to deprive a more worthy child a place he/she deserved on merit.
Tories, what a fucking useless bunch leading the country. Suppose they were all tutored to help hide the stupidity that’s now obvious for all to see.
The point is they have to take a certain amount of low income children. Yes, some will be tutored, but it won’t be to the detriment of the poor.
Not sure if you’ve missed my point or have just ignored it. People with money essentially buy up all the places for their own vanity with no regard for their own childrens happiness or well being. Poor children will always be pushed out. You are aware of the gentrification of areas all because of the positioning of the better schools aren’t you? I could have had my daughter tutored but refused as i believe in merit. What is wrong with comprehensive education? I went to one and my sister went to a grammar. My parents both agreed the comp was a better school and even considered moving my sister. Grammar schools separate children far to young and determine a child’s supposed intelligence long before any child is developed enough. It’s a backwards step however it’s dressed up.
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Looking at her performances, i would imagine they are kicking themselves for not calling a snap election the day she was installed. Corbyn’s looking stronger(i was impressed with last night’s performance) whilst May’s performances are receiving widespread ridicule. If she keeps this up, i give her a year tops before the knifes are out.
I’m not ignoring your point at all, but it’s an opinion, so can’t change your mind on that.
My Mum and Dad both went to grammar schools, and they swear by them compared to their local comps which were horrendous.
What you’re ignoring is the fact the Government has said the new Grammar schools will have to offer a number of places to lower income children, hence they won’t get pushed out by the rich. It will also reduce the gentrification of areas.
It seems you’ve heard the words “Grammar School” and not bothered looking at or listening to the new proposals, but instead are gnashing at the way they currently/used to work.