Agenda item

The Panel received a report looking at the relationship between the grammar schools and non-selective schools in the borough, the impact of the selective system on attainment levels and the accessibility of the grammar schools for Slough students.  The report included input from the grammar schools, a non-selective secondary school and a primary school.  At the meeting the grammar schools were represented by Jo Rockall (Headteacher, Herschel Grammar School) and Mercedes Hernandez-Estrada (Headteacher, Upton Court Grammar School); the non-selective secondary schools were represented by Deborah Ajose (Headteacher, Baylis Court School); and the primary schools were represented by Maggie Stacey (Headteacher, St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School and Nursery).

The Panel discussed the following points:

• that the grammar schools work as a consortium and set the pass mark for the 11+ aimed at taking the top 30% of the ability range; and that Slough students who pass the 11+ had a good opportunity of being accepted to a grammar school because of the admission criteria regarding distance.  However, despite this, there was concern at the low numbers of Slough students attending the grammar schools;
• that the key issue is the number of Slough students passing the 11+, however lowering the pass level would not be a suitable option;
• that Buckinghamshire had introduced a new 11+ exam which could not be tutored for, and that this would be trialed in Slough in the coming year; and
• that, in order to ensure equality of opportunity, the attainment levels at Key Stage 2 and the aspirations of Slough students would need to be improved.

The Panel then discussed what could make the difference for Slough students, increasing the numbers who take the 11+ and those that achieve the pass mark.  In order to offer the best school opportunities for all Slough students, the whole system would need to work together with the grammar schools working with the primaries to improve attainment levels and joint training programmes for teachers.

The Panel noted the difficulties of recruitment, but also that the focus on numbers attending grammar schools implied that the borough’s non-selective secondary schools were of a lesser quality which was not the case.  Members commented on the very good non-selective schools in Slough and the value added scores of these schools demonstrating that the grammar schools were not the only place for aspiration. 

Resolved  to:

1)  thank all the schools for their input and attendance at the meeting;

2)  endorse the move to make the 11+ more accessible through the introduction of a test that could not be tutored for; and

3)  congratulate the schools on the good cooperative working that had been taking place across all Slough schools.