Yesterday I did a post about the Shadow Northern Ireland Minister, David Lidington, who is the MP for Aylesbury Vale. He had been quoted in an article in the Bucks Herald supporting the leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, David Shakespeare, who had written to David Willets personally stating that Bucks CC would be building more Grammar schools, probably in Aylesbury, to keep pace with the housing demand in the town.Aylesbury has grown massively in the past twenty years, and is still growing, and the three grammar schools, Aylesbury Grammar for Boys, Aylesbury High School for Girls, and the Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School (mixed) stating to creak at the seams. As he put it,
"We are clearly falling into the trap of focusing on school structure rather than concentrating on what really matters, the quality of teaching and learning, and the ability to offer a range of learning opportunities to meet the needs of all children. One size most definitely does not fit all. The new policy presents us with particular problems in terms of the need for additional school places to accommodate the housing growth imposed upon us by this Labour government".Today we have learned that Dominic Grieve, the MP for Beaconsfield, has echoed the leader of Bucks County Council's position in the Buckinghamshire Advertiser and now there is talk of a U-Turn by the leadership.
What is interesting here is the Buckinghamshire connection. Right now everyone is looking at Dominic Grieve as the catalyst for the so-called "U-Turn". Actually I think they're looking in the wrong place. David Shakespeare is where this all kicked off. What's more, all the Buckinghamshire MPs have now issued a statement welcoming the move by the leadership.
11 comments:
this one may run and run. perhaps the leadership are trying to turn it into a clause 4 moment on purpose and maintaining the debate by deceptive means.
So what is Tory Policy on A Grammar School applying to expand due to population growth. ?
I tend to agree with you Dizzy that streaming must be accepted whole heartedly into our schools.
If not then I say bring back the even better option of more Grammar schools.
Unless and until there is a change of government, the Conservative position is of academic interest. The issue here is surely and above all whether the leadership can get their ducks in a row. What a bloody shambles this has been, and who really thinks team Cameron are on top of the issues?
Are they going to need more secondary modern places too? Or are thick people moving out and brainy people moving in? Who will make sure that the telephones are hygienic in the vale of A?
Tragedy ahead.
As far as I know they need probably one more grammar and maybe one sec, although I think there may have been expansion on a couple fo the sec sites.
As a product of one of the aforementioned grammar schools i agree complelely with the comments of my local MPs and councillors. If we are going to have grammar schools (which we should) then do it properly and that means more of them otherwise holding the test would be completely pointless given the small minority which could gain a benefit.
All these arguments for grammar school style teaching ie. setting in streaming is all very good but what's the point having a grammar school within a school when you could just have a separate school?
As for whether this is a clause four moment i've heard a number of theories ranging from Cornerstone being behind it all to the party doing a Blair. Personally I think it's all a hash up - there was nothing very new in the policy it's just been handled so god damn awfully that Brown is happy to be off the front pages
Which one? Floyd or Grammar?
I don't see any Tories in Bucks or elsewhere in the tennis club belt marching up and down demanding more secondary moderns. Just because they can afford to send their 12 plus failures to private school or gatecrash the good comprehensives in places like Herts...
Hertfordshire is a dump
Floyd. The intersting thing about Aylesbury is that when one compares the grammars and the secondary schools is that the top secondary schools are just as good and well thought of among students as the grammars for example Waddesdon CofE. In Aylesbury roughly half are good/very good. A few are ok and the rest are to be avoided with a barge pole or in the case of many middle class parents public school.
Yep you;re absolutely right re Sec and Grammars in Aylesbury. I went to the Floyd as well.
Post a Comment