Will things be different?

Last month, the DFE and the Grammar School Heads Association a Memorandum of Understanding was released detailed specific outcomes to be achieved by 2027.

“Both parties have a shared ambition to see:

• more pupils from lower income backgrounds being admitted to selective schools

• increased partnerships between selective schools and non-selective secondary schools and primary schools locally, with a view to collaborating to improve outcomes for children across their area

The purpose of the joint working between GSHA and DfE is to:

• accelerate progress from selective schools around fair access and partnership, understanding and helping to overcome any barriers”

I have been in touch with the Grammar School Heads Association with the intention of talking through the following plan:

1. The Grammar School will work closely with primary schools to identify children who have the potential to be successful in Grammar school education.

2. The local Grammar School can sponsor that child to complete The Pass Masters programme (only in line with what other children of the same age and ability are having anyway). The sponsoring school will pay a discounted rate, in line with a single year of Pupil Premium money - meaning that if a child is successful, they are investing in their future with one year of Pupil Premium grant. A child who leaves grammar school at 16 will be paid that amount four more times in their school career.

3. The Pass Masters will take on all aspects of the family outreach - working with the children to be exam ready, supporting parents to apply for the 11-plus, ensuring they know when open evenings are, working with families independently on attitudes towards selective schooling and ensuring that there are no barriers to transport on the day of the 11-plus (if necessary).

4. We will ensure that families are accountable for attendance at classes, failing this they would be expected to pay back any monies owed as part of the outreach

5. All children who pass the 11-plus will have the same sense of satisfaction and achievement for passing! No leniency is required in terms of lowering pass grades for some students.

This Memorandum of Understanding covers 2 areas of shared interest.

• access of pupils from lower income backgrounds to selective schools (‘fair access’) - our programme is highly likely to bring about success, purely because highly focussed targeting combined with excellent teaching are the biggest factors for child success. The EEF states: The best available evidence indicates that great teaching is the most important lever schools have to improve pupil attainment. Ensuring every teacher is supported in delivering high-quality teaching is essential to achieving the best outcomes for all pupils, particularly the most disadvantaged among them

• partnership between selective schools and non-selective secondary and primary schools (‘partnership’) - as a school leader I know how difficult building good links across schools can be. This is normally because the day-to-day challenges in schools often get in the way of regular and clear communication between parties, and there is a lack of accountability around the success of partnership working, meaning that there are usually higher priority actions at any given time. We’ll take the stress out of this, as soon as initial contact is made between the grammar school and the family of the identified child, we take on the rest of the burden.

Watch this space

The full post is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-between-dfe-and-grammar-school-heads-association/memorandum-of-understanding-between-dfe-and-gsha-2023-to-2027#success-measures

What progress has been made in 8 years?

Eight years ago, Kent setup a “Grammar schools and social mobility Select Committee”. In June 2016, a document was released with 16 recommendations to increase the number of disadvantaged children who gain access to grammar school.

Of the 16 recommendations, just one suggested that help be provided to disadvantaged children.

-Recommendation 4: All grammar schools should provide more outreach to primary schools including after school classes in English and mathematics, mentoring and preparation for the Kent Test for primary aged pupils in Yrs 4-6 including those most academically able children in receipt of the Pupil Premium.

Great! But what accountability exists if Grammar Schools do not do this?

What incentive is there for Grammar schools have to deliver this?

If this support is provided, can it match the support provided to a child who has been tutored weekly for 18-24 months?

The remainder of the recommendations relate to ‘tracking’ the schools that disadvantaged children attend, trying to communicate with parents about the Kent test and removing transport barriers from being able to get to grammar schools once they have gained a place. I would suggest that the biggest barrier is a sense that Grammar school is not for everyone! This is consolidated year-on-year by children with privileged backgrounds achieving success in the 11-plus.

Do you feel that there has been any change in that time?

The statistics suggest not. The proportion of FSM children (children who receive Free School Meals, a commonly used measure of disadvantage) has increased, and gone up to just over 5% - whilst the national picture has risen to over 21%. The gap has actually grown between selective and non-selective schools in the last 8 years. Grammar schools still have significantly lower proportions of children from disadvantaged background than non-selective schools.

The Pass Masters are trying to increase access to support for families on low-incomes. Can we level up in this regard?

See the full report here

https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/58680/Grammar-Schools-and-Social-Mobility-June-2016.pdf

Do Grammar Schools still promote social mobility?

Grammar schools used to be about promoting social mobility. Is that still true?

For an 11-year old, turning up to the 11-plus exam and doing their best is simply not going to be good enough when they are competing against children who have had years of preparation. Therefore, those who will get the Grammar School places are those who can afford the preparation. Those who cannot afford tutoring are unlikely to succeed with the test. In the current circumstances, social mobility is being destroyed by the 11-plus.

My daughters attend a number of clubs throughout the week. All of them include children that need to ‘dash off’ because the tutor is on the way, or parents explain how much they are paying each month for four one-hour sessions to help prepare for the 11-plus. Grammar schools were created to allow children with academic potential access specialist schooling irrespective of their social or economical situation. All of this extra tuition simply creates an imbalance for some children.

The Pass Masters are trying to change that - I can’t stop others using tutors, but I can help those who can’t afford usual tutoring. I’m a highly experienced and successful teacher in a secondary school. Join me, throughout Year 4 - 3 sessions a week. I’ve designed a curriculum based on my experience in education - understanding how children learn - and my experience of supporting my daughter with her 11-plus preparation.

Rebalancing Access to Grammar Schools

The Pass Masters: Rebalancing Access to Grammar Schools

In an era when social mobility is increasingly stagnant, hope has emerged for aspiring young students and their families. 'The Pass Masters', an innovative educational initiative, is on a mission to level the playing field for access to Grammar schools by removing barriers to preparation for the crucial 11-plus exam.

Gaining entry to Grammar schools has been perceived as a privilege reserved for those who can afford private tuition. Data shows that the vast majority of successful candidates for Grammar schools undergo some form of tuition, putting those from less affluent backgrounds at a significant disadvantage. This educational disparity has contributed to a persistent gap in social mobility, perpetuating a cycle where opportunities remain inaccessible to many.

Recognising this inequity, The Pass Masters have devised a groundbreaking program designed to make high-quality 11-plus preparation accessible to all. Their comprehensive course covers every aspect of the 11-plus exam, from verbal and non-verbal reasoning to mathematics and English. Importantly, the programme is offered at a fraction of the cost of traditional private tutoring, opening doors for families who previously could not afford such support.

"The current system is inherently unfair," explains Neil Arnould, Director of The Pass Masters. "Children from wealthier families have a clear advantage because they can afford extensive tutoring. We wanted to create a solution that empowers all students, regardless of their socio-economic background, to succeed in the 11-plus exam."

The Pass Masters' approach is multifaceted. It includes interactive online lessons, practice exams, and personalised feedback, all tailored to help students build the skills and confidence needed to excel. The programme also emphasises gradual learning, allowing children to meet the demands of the 11-plus exam over time, reducing stress and enhancing understanding.

Neil has worked in comprehensive secondary schools in schools for twenty years, helping students achieve great results year-on-year for his classes and championing opportunities for all students to progress. Neil’s daughter passed the 11-plus in 2023 and is going to her local Grammar school in September. 

The Pass Masters are not just preparing students for an exam; they are championing a broader movement towards fairness and equal opportunity in education. As their programme gains traction, there is hope that more children will have the opportunity to attend Grammar schools, based on merit rather than means.

For families across Kent, The Pass Masters offer a lifeline, ensuring that the doors to academic success are open to all, not just a privileged few. In doing so, they are not only helping children pass an exam but also paving the way for a more equitable and just society