‘Increasing number of pupils at grammar schools won’t boost attainment’ says Durham University
New research by Professor Stephen Gorard and Dr Nadia Siddiqui suggests increasing the number of pupils attending grammar schools would cement social divisions- but wouldn’t boost attainment.
The Government plans to increase the number of pupils attending state-funded selective grammar schools, with proponents claiming it would increase overall standards, reduce the poverty attainment gap and boost social mobility. It has been speculated that former Education Secretary Justine Greening fell out of favour with the Prime Minister because of her scepticism toward increased selection.
The key findings of the research are:
- Once pupil intake is taken into account, grammar schools are no more or less effective than other schools. The apparent success of grammar schools is due to pupils coming from more advantaged social backgrounds.
- The few authorities in England that have retained selection and grammar schools have the highest level of socio-economic segregation between schools. Grammar schools in England take only a tiny proportion of pupils who are or have ever been eligible for FSM (2% as opposed to 14% nationally) and those they do take have been eligible for fewer years. Other schools in selective areas are therefore disproportionately dealing with the more chronically poor.
- The international evidence on social segregation between schools shows that this is linked to poorer outcomes for all, other than attainment. These include lower self-esteem, lack of role models, poorer relationships and a distorted sense of justice.
According to Gorard and Siddiqui, “What the research shows us about attainment highlights the danger grammar schools pose to social cohesion because it shows that this danger is being posed with no overall benefit.”
Previous research by The Education Policy Institute into grammar schools and social mobility found that “additional grammar schools would be likely to lead to increases in the aggregate attainment gaps between rich and poor children”. Likewise, Education Datalab has shown that “children who attend non-selective schools in selective areas (secondary moderns) make less progress than they otherwise would” and also that grammar schools act as a drain on local resources.
In our submission to the consultation on the 2016 “Schools that work for everyone” Green Paper, SCHOOLS NorthEast strongly urged the Government not to pursue increased selection.
The full text of the research is available free online at: Gorard, S. and Siddiqui, N. (2018) Grammar schools in England: a new analysis of social segregation and academic outcomes, British Journal of Sociology of Education, DOI: 10.1080/01425692.2018.1443432