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What do you think of Grammar Schools?

They provide a good education.

This is a good thing. I don't see how any reasonable person can have a problem with them.

Though people should remember that its not just about how good the school is, its about who the child is. There is no point in sending a very sporty child to a very academic school, and vice versa. A lot of kids are unhappy because their parents send their children to the school they would like them to go to, not the school that is actually best for the child.

Reply 21

inksplodge

17

I think they're good - generally, the people I know achieve great marks in their exams - but I know some people who went to a grammar school and I've done better than them on the whole (I failed my 11+ by a few marks). Makes me question if the teaching is actually that much better, or if it's down to the individual.

Reply 22

user152713

jamz0770

Sandwich Technology School down the road

What a name! :eating:

Reply 23

AnythingButChardonnay

14

Anyone who's against grammar schools on principle I put this to you.

Why don't you focus your efforts on bringing other schools up to grammar school standard, rather than on closing grammar schools down?

Reply 24

Stressed Chick

12

PhYCo ThInKeR

I started a grammar school just for the sixth form. its great compared to my previous school where i had to do my maths work from a textbook because the teacher couldn't control the class.
i felt wasted at my previous school and the grammar school is great. actually wish id been there from the beggining

lol that's what my secondary school was like too. I was never bothered by having to teach myself though- except when I didn't understand something, then I got the smart kids to help me :biggrin:

.
I didn't realise how "bad" the standards really were at my secondary school until I went to LSE, where the majority of people have had such different experiences- no disruption in lessons for one thing. Disruptions in lessons were part of the daily fun! Or norms.
Even now though, I wouldn't trade my secondary school education. It got me where I am anyway, and the things I experienced didn't hold me back; they taught me a lot actually, about who I am, and what I need/want out of life; they taught me to make smart choices when it would be easier to do something else- those were things I needed to learn in the life, area, and culture I was/do live in, even if I didn't strictly need to learn them in an 'academic' sense.

For me, personally, I don't have anything against grammar schools and I'm sure the education is better in most of them than what I experienced, but I've never been particularly bothered about not having had a grammar school education either.

Reply 25

Rebbers

2

1721

its not really fair if not everyone has the oportunity to go to one.
i never sat the 11+ and im sure had i gone to a better school i might have got better grades.
there should either be lots or none.
that said i had alot of fun at a normal school.

Fair enough, it might be more useful if they considered things other than the 11+.
EDIT: sorry, misread your post!

Reply 26

toddlers crossword

12

jacketpotato

There is no point in sending a very sporty child to a very academic school, and vice versa.

There were tons of sporty people at my grammar school, people can be very sporty and very academic you know! (not that I was one of those people, lol)
I liked the atmosphere of my single sex grammar school mostly, although sometimes it could get bitchy I think that was because you formed quite close female friendships in that environment and when people fell out or groups didnt get on with each other that was where the problem started!

I never felt as though I was competing with other people in my year, although some teachers tried to make us feel that way, like the maths teacher who sat everyone in the order in which they performed in their last maths test (though she was generally loopy). There was definitely pressure to be a straight A student and make the school look good though, someone my brother knew a few years above me constantly had the headteacher pressuring her to leave the sixth form because she wasnt getting good results, and people in my year had to drop a GCSE or two because the school thought they wouldnt do well in them and would mess up the schools 100% A*-C stats...

I made friends for life there though and as long as you can have a laugh at the loopy teachers and the academic pressure, grammar schools can be great

Reply 27

sabka7

toddlers crossword

There were tons of sporty people at my grammar school, people can be very sporty and very academic you know! (not that I was one of those people, lol)
I liked the atmosphere of my single sex grammar school mostly, although sometimes it could get bitchy I think that was because you formed quite close female friendships in that environment and when people fell out or groups didnt get on with each other that was where the problem started!

I never felt as though I was competing with other people in my year, although some teachers tried to make us feel that way, like the maths teacher who sat everyone in the order in which they performed in their last maths test (though she was generally loopy). There was definitely pressure to be a straight A student and make the school look good though, someone my brother knew a few years above me constantly had the headteacher pressuring her to leave the sixth form because she wasnt getting good results, and people in my year had to drop a GCSE or two because the school thought they wouldnt do well in them and would mess up the schools 100% A*-C stats...

I made friends for life there though and as long as you can have a laugh at the loopy teachers and the academic pressure, grammar schools can be great

Thats horrible :eek:

why would you do that to someone???
it must have really knocked some people confidence :mad:

Reply 28

jamz0770

15

Rassam

What a name! :eating:

Haha, Yeah I go to school in sandwich :biggrin:

There used to be a massive sign about a mile outside of sanwich, you know with place names and distances. Would you believe there is a place called "Ham" 4 miles away? :P

It actually read:

Ham 4
Sandwich 1

But chavs kept knicking it so now the council refuse to buy another one :frown:

Infact my dads just informed me that long ago we had a sign that read

Great Deal
Worth
Ham
Sandwich

Lmao, Come to think of it whoever named towns round here must have been having a great laugh :smile:

Reply 29

stepheatstoast

I go to an all girls grammar school and love it! Also helps that the boys grammar is opposite and we can see them at lunch at stuff so segregation isn't an issue and i've never felt pushed or anything so its great! :smile:

Also sign thing above.. hilarious!

Reply 30

tea_cakes

10

I was forced to take the 11+. I was never particularly bothered about going to a grammar school because all my friends were going to the school I wanted to go to. Anyway, I failed the 11+ by a few marks and was quite happy heh. But I did well on my GCSEs so all is well.

On the whole I think grammar schools are good. You shouldn't be embarrassed about telling people you go to one. It's not all that uncommon and I certainly wouldn't think you were showing off.

Reply 31

toddlers crossword

12

sabka7

Thats horrible :eek:

why would you do that to someone???
it must have really knocked some people confidence :mad:

I know, we were only in Year Seven as well, it was really harsh!
Not quite as bad as the other teacher at my school who apparently cut bits of peoples hair off if they got their french verbs wrong! :s-smilie:

Reply 32

nothingspek

3

I think they do a wonderful job and should be left alone.

Reply 33

Bagration

18

All schools in Britain should be grammar schools.

Reply 34

thetopnotch

16

ArchedEdge

I go to an all-boys grammar school, and I think they're absolutely great. The opportunities offered to me have been absolutely amazing, and I'm very happy I picked my school.

True about the whole segregation thing, many people in the school generally don't even start meeting girls until they reach year 9/10. :p:

General studies with the linked girls' school, and seeing how some of the guys act is just...funny :biggrin:

Hmmm, there's something familiar about this... :biggrin:

Reply 35

baby_emmy

15

My primary school didn't offer us the chance to do the 11+ (v small school - guessing that's the reason why) so we all went to a state school and then onto a mixed Grammar school for sixth form. One of the best school's in the area 100% pass rate for GCSE/A Level etc... hated it, worst two years of my life! Most of my friends hated it too, teachers basically taught those who were already students and ignored those who came for sixth form and there was a big divide amongst the students

Most of the Grammar schools in this area have a bad rep (in terms of students being bitchy/snobby), but then again, all have good pass rates which i suppose is the most important thing

-x-

Reply 36

user152713

jamz0770

Would you believe there is a place called "Ham" 4 miles away? :P

It actually read:

Ham 4
Sandwich 1

Absolutely amazing. :smile:

Reply 37

No Longer_Active

I went to an all girls grammar but left in Year 11. I've found I get on a lot better surrounded by people of mixed ability; it's more encouraging. Having said that, people work better and grammar schools are great for some.
I found it was unfair that most had come from private primary schools though.