Figures reveal the impact
of independent schools on the selective system

by political editor Paul Francis

More than 400 children from dozens of fee-paying independent
schools have been offered places at Kent grammar schools this year,
according to figures obtained by KentOnline.

The figures are slightly below last year, but underline the
continuing impact of the independent sector on the county's
selective system.

Just weeks ago, the county council revealed proposals to revamp the 11-plus test in an effort to make it less coachable and more "tutor proof".

Kent County Council has also recently announced a sponsor for a new grammar annexe in Sevenoaks, which if agreed would be the first "new" selective school in 50 years.

The data is further evidence of the challenge the authority
faces in devising a test that means less well-off pupils have the
same opportunity to get to a grammar school as those that can
afford private education or the costs of hiring a tutor.

The statistics, released under the Freedom of Information Act,
show the impact is most pronounced in west Kent, where the
proportion of offers is significantly higher than in the east of
the county.

For the second year, the super-selective Tonbridge Grammar
School saw the highest number of offers at 59, representing more
than a third of places available.

The next highest was The Judd School in Tonbridge, where 50
children from prep schools as far afield as Dover and Ashford were
offered places.

The school, which is also super-selective, normally has 150
places available - but is temporarily expanding its intake this
September to create an extra 30 places.

That decision followed an urgent request by the county council
to ease the pressure on demand.

Skinners School allocated 34 places to children from prep
schools, two more than last year. It will also allow more pupils in
this September under a temporary expansion.

In Maidstone, the boys' grammar school, 23 places were offered - an increase on last year when the figure was 16.

In contrast, the girls' grammar saw a small drop with ten places offered compared to 13 last year.

By area, the greatest impact was in Tunbridge Wells, where 82
places - one in five - went to pupils from fee paying schools. That
was followed by Tonbridge and Malling at 81, the Sevenoaks at
75.

In Canterbury, the two grammar schools - Simon Langton Girls and Simon Langton Boys' - accounted for 33 places between them.

Cllr Mike Whiting (Con), the county
council cabinet member for education, said the impact of
independent schools was a fact of life but the council wanted a
test that increased social mobility.

"One of our aspirations for the test is to improve everyone's
chances. People will always pay for their children to go to private
school in the hope they will pass the 11-plus. We cannot and should
not discourage that as it is part of parental choice."

Opponents of the 11-plus said the figures showed KCC faced an
impossible task.

Rebecca Matthews, of Stop The Eleven Plus, said: "This
illustrates the failure that the 11-plus is.

"KCC needs to face facts - it can't create a tutor-proof test
nor can it stop parents paying to hothouse their children in fee
paying prep schools.

"The people who really pay for this social segregation are the
vast majority of families whose children are not deemed suitable
for a grammar school and take pot luck in the quality of school
they are allocated.

"It is time to put secondary school admissions on an equal
footing and scrap the 11-plus."