UNITED KINGDOM ENGLAND’S
grammar-school SYSTEM EXPLAINED
ALTHOUGH GRAMMAR SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PHASED OUT IN MANY PARTS OF ENGLAND, THEY STILL EXIST IN SOME AREAS, AND ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER BY RELOCATING PARENTS KEEN TO SECURE A TOP-QUALITY EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN. HOW DOES THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK, AND HOW DO FAMILIES APPLY FOR PLACES?
G
rammar schools are government-funded secondary schools. They are the only state schools in England that are allowed to select all their pupils based on
academic ability.
Until the 1970s, pupils in England and Wales were required to sit what was known as the 11-plus exam, to determine which secondary school they would attend – a grammar (for the higher achievers) or a secondary modern. This system was eventually replaced by a system of comprehensive schools, which admitted pupils of all abilities. Most grammar schools were phased out, either becoming comprehensives or being converted into private schools, but many were allowed to maintain their status and still exist today.
POPULARITY OF GRAMMAR SCHOOLS Grammar schools remain extremely popular, largely thanks to their indisputable academic success. They are available in some, not all, parts of England. Certain counties, such as Kent, Essex, Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire, are well known for supporting the grammar-school system. There are 164 grammar schools, none of which charges fees. Some (though very few) have boarding facilities, for which there is a charge.
Prospective pupils are still usually required to sit an
entrance exam set by the school or the local authority. This is referred to by various names, including the transfer test, the grammar-access test, the Kent test, and occasionally still the 11-plus.
In 2010, around 1,050 grammar-school pupils were studying at Oxford or Cambridge, and 98 per cent of pupils in grammar schools achieved five or more GCSEs, including English and maths, at Grades A* to C. This compares with 55 per cent of pupils nationally. As a result, competition for places at these schools is fierce.
There have been no new grammar schools for more than 50 years, but this is set to change, as plans to extend one of
Kent’s grammar schools by means of an annexe in a town nine miles away received government approval in 2015.
APPLYING FOR A PLACE
Parents are allowed to apply for a place at a grammar school in any area. As these schools are nearly always oversubscribed, whether or not they live in the catchment area (that is, the geographical area from which the school draws its pupils) can be a determining factor. In some counties, there are also ‘super-selective’ schools, which are allowed to select the very top performers in the selection tests.
It is wise to check with the school and the local authority the likelihood of the family’s being offered a place, based on the specific criteria for that area and that school. It will be worth taking a close look at the school’s details on its website, in its prospectus, and, most importantly, on school visits. You can search for grammar schools on the National Grammar Schools Association website (
ngsa.org.uk).
THE SELECTION TEST
Although each grammar school will have its own admissions criteria, nearly all offers of a place are based on the results of a selection test. This is typically taken early in the September of Year 6, but it is worth noting that an increasing number of schools and counties are requiring families to register for the assessment during the summer term of Year 5. Many parents work hard with their children, sometimes
two years in advance, to prepare them for the test, scouring past exam papers and hiring tutors to ensure that they have the best chance of doing well. However, a high score in the test does not always guarantee a place at a grammar, especially if the school is oversubscribed.
Relocate is grateful to Debbie Bowker, of Bowker Consulting, for her contributions to this article.
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