he insisted the government was "absolutely right" to reform the system to make it "fairer" for the less well-off.
I have to agree in principle. But as so often the case with this government, the principles and the legal instruments supposed to achieve the principles may be two very different things.
However in this case what is proposed seems to be worth giving a go. I know from experience what is being talked about in this:
Half of all predicted A-level grades turn out to be incorrect and students from poor backgrounds were more likely than their wealthier peers to have their results under-predicted by teachers
In my case, having come from a relatively poor household, and a secondary modern (that is I failed the selection exam for grammar school at age 11) my 6th form college expressed pleasant surprise when I achieved the 3rd best A level results (I think it was), better than the people who passed the 11-plus exam from my school, I was then told that with my results I could have applied to Oxford or Cambridge. Interesting to note that no-one had considered that before, and I was in groups with people preparing for the entrance exams. As I look back I realise that I was not encouraged to look to Oxbridge entrance because, in all probability, I was from the wrong background. So I say, anything that up the priviledges of wealth in favour of ability gets my guarded approval.
Now the public schools (perversely, for non-UK readers, 'public schools' are actually non-state private educational establishments) have been horrified by the ideas. Their representative was
"horrified" by the plan, which could leave independent school pupils at a disadvantage, and accused ministers of caring more about "social engineering than academic excellence".
Ah diddums; the fact that I and thousands of people like me have been disadvantaged by these schools and their wealth-induced enhancements for hundreds of years is not a factor to give some perspective then? I admit that I want to promote excellence, but not by only really allowing those with the money to exploit the system to hone their abilities while leaving the rest to happenstance or atrophy.
Rant aside, I do have a lot of sympathy with this remark:
Dr Stephen said: "I do hope we are not coming into another situation where the suppliers are ignored and the students pay the price. We do know a little bit about it."
EducationGuardian.co.uk | higher news | Rammell: I'm right on university admissions:
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