British grammar school and path of social mobility
British grammar school and path of social
mobility
Society was never just, from thebeginning it has some kind of stratification. Class-based ( based on resources
or idea of haves or haves not, simply putting rich and poor ) stratification is
common among model capitalist societies, the same goes for British society
which consists of class-based stratification.
Grammar school the idea
The idea of grammar school is quite
simple, these schools are state secondary schools, fully funded by the state.
The selection process comprises an examination called 11- plus (students of age
11 appear in it). The education students get here is free, unlike private
schools where they have to pay. The grammar school wants to create a more just
and inclusive society. It focuses on the social mobility of economically weaker
sections of the community.
Does grammar school increase social mobility?
In the British parliament, the idea of a
more selective school ( grammar school ) is raised by plenty of leaders
although some are opposing the idea of grammar schools. The government planned
to expand the grammar school based on the examination of 11- and claiming it's
going to pave the path of social mobility.
Kiran Eyre, a governor of a state school
asserted that the notion of grammar school is not something progressive, there
is no evidence to support that grammar school, improve the educational status
of the weaker section.
Eyre, pointed out that selective
education will widen the gap between the poor and the rich. School should be a
microcosm of the whole of society. People of different colours, faith,
background, and skills work together to establish a peaceful and harmonious
world. Selective schools separate students of lower-income families from those
of rich, if we let them study in the same school they get equal opportunities
to improve their status.
On the other hand, these grammar schools
are not enabling them to achieve social mobility as the acceptance rate of
lower rag students is relatively inadequate. Only 3% of the students at grammar
schools are qualified to get free meals which is an indicator of their social
status. Some data indicate that high-achieving poor kids are not able to get
into grammar schools. Of those who are top scorers 66% of them are from
better-off families only 40% are from poor households.
Melissa Benn, the chairperson of the
Comprehensive Future Group, talked about, how the government is making an
effort to increase the number of poor students in grammar schools, however,
asking grammar schools to admit more poor students only hampers the system of
education to achieve equality.
We can say that the concept of the
grammar school was not that empowering rather it will create a gap between
haves and haves not.,if students from the rich class and poor study together,
they will comprehend each other's lives and get equal opportunities to excel.
The experts from the education field analysed that selective education systems
only broaden the gap in society. True social mobility can be achieved by equal
opportunity, not selective methods. As most grammar schools in England do not
have proper representation of the disadvantaged group even though it was
designed for the disadvantaged group.
reference
Adams, R. (2018, May 11). Education
leaders oppose Tory plans to expand grammar schools. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/may/11/education-leaders-oppose-tory-plans-to-expand-grammar-schools

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