Funding behind grammar u-turn
7:00pm Sunday 20th May 2007
Comments (10)THE Tories have turned their backs on grammar schools for purely financial reasons, a parents' leader has claimed.
Margaret Morrissey said leader David Cameron planned to scrap his party's support for more selective state education to ensure more private sponsorship is ploughed into new academy schools.
"When it suits politicians not to build any more grammar schools, they suddenly decide academies would be better," said Mrs Morrissey, Dorset chairman of the National Confederation of Parent Teachers Association.
"We are concerned that this further erodes the choices that parents have got for their children. Not everyone wants their child to go into a very large academy."
Mrs Morrissey said grammar schools offer an extra option for parents who already have little choice about their children's education. Mr Cameron is concerned that middle class children dominate the grammar school intake, claiming: "Parents don't want their children divided into sheep and goats at the age of 11."
His announcement has caused confusion in a party which has traditionally backed selective education based on academic ability.
In Poole, MP Robert Syms has stressed that existing grammar schools are safe.
And Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood added: "We have two excellent grammar schools in Bournemouth and they will continue to serve the community."
Sir John Butterfill, Conservative MP for Bournemouth West, heaped praise on the town's grammar schools, describing them as a powerful influence for social mobility in Bournemouth, but backed the new academies as the way forward, calling Oakmead school "a fantastic example".
Head of Bournemouth School for Girls, Alistair Brien, has stressed that he wants his school to be accessible to everyone.
"This is a key priority of our work with local primary schools.
"We are also working closely with other secondary schools in Bournemouth to share resources and activities to help stretch their most able pupils," he said.
Mr Brien said independent schools would be in more demand if grammar schools were ever to be abolished.
Your Say YourThisisdorset
Cllr Philip Eades, Civic Centre, Poole says...
9:00am Mon 21 May 07
Cllrs Collier and Stribley , at last weeks farcical full council said "the people of Poole have spoken - this is exactly what they want" - funny that I didn't see these things mentioned on any Conservative election literature in my ward in Branksome (or anywhere else in Poole come to that)!!!
We also had last week the rather distasteful show of five new Conservative councillors whose first vote on behalf of the people of Poole that elected them was to throw the Council's constitution out of the window!
nick, Canford heath says...
10:00am Mon 21 May 07
richard, Bournemouth says...
11:43am Mon 21 May 07
Rob, Bournemouth says...
12:35pm Mon 21 May 07
Alan, Bournemouth says...
1:15pm Mon 21 May 07
richard wrote:
Yes, Nick, and yet interestingly, middle class parents whose children are unlikely to 'make the grade' for the grammers are now decamping and buying properties in the catchment areas of good comprehensives like Twynham and Ringwood. Sadly, one of the problems with a good grammer is that the alternatives are not good, or have to put up with the kind of pupil that some would not like their children to have to mix with. There is an increasing divide between the haves and have nots in education within Bournemouth - at least, that is how it is perceived by many parents.
Sadly, one of the problems with a good grammer is that the alternatives are not good, or have to put up with the kind of pupil that some would not like their children to have to mix with.
The main problem with good GRAMMAR is that it COMPREHENSIVELY is no longer taught.The quoted sentence is one up with which Winston Churchill would not have put!
Alan, Bournemouth says...
1:27pm Mon 21 May 07
The main problem with good GRAMMAR is that it COMPREHENSIVELY is no longer taught. The quoted sentence is one up with which Winston Churchill would not have put!
Richard, Bournemouth says...
2:21pm Mon 21 May 07
You are right, Alan, and I have a PUBLIC school education as well. In mitigation, I am having a quick look in now and again whilst at work - no time for checking grammar and speilin!
Alan, Bournemouth says...
5:44pm Mon 21 May 07
How different this approach is from that of the arrogant Tory leaders of Poole Council, illustrated in Cllr Philip Eades' posting above.
Don't worry too much about your speilin,so long as you can keep smeilin!
John, Poole says...
6:07pm Mon 21 May 07
What a brilliant standard to set!Listen and try to learn, Poole Tory Councillors!
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John, Poole says...
10:59pm Sun 20 May 07
What a fine advert he is for the local Grammar School.When he first became Leader in 2003, he awarded himself a pay rise of £120 a week.Now,having just been re-elected, his first move is to try and create 'more jobs for the boys' with allowances of £20000 per year of Poole Council Taxpayers' money.I think the so- called increased workload has more to do with degeneration than regeneration!