What a load of Balls!
Ed Balls' plans to beg grammar school heads to take over 'failing' schools set the cat among pigeons in the Birmingham Mail editorial conference yesterday.
The two sides could not have been more distant.
Us comprehensive lads were angry that a privately-educated Labour toff, with little or no experience of sink estates, could get away with such general comments.
While we were sure that some comps were truly bad, did he know how hard some state heads and staff have to work even to get their poor intake to attend school? With obnoxious, often violent parents to deal with, let alone their offspring, running and improving an average comp is no fair-ride. Typical Ivory Tower new Labour.
But grammar school boys around the desk disagreed. "The discipline we had at school was what is needed in failing comps," they asserted. "Balls is right."
"Balls," according to a page planner at the back. "What would those grammars be like without cherry-picking? Parents should serve and support local schools."
Whatever the opinion, the fact was that this was one of those editorial conferences when everyone spoke on the subject, and every other man (and woman) disagreed.
That's the pointer to a good sunject that will engage our readers. Hence yesterday's leader subject was turned around on the Balls plan, with plans to take the debate to readers later this week.
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Steve Dyson - Blog from the Editor on recent issues and events.
The idea of grammar schools taking over 'sink' schools is ridiculous.
Teaching young people who are extremely bright, well motivated and, crucially, supported by their parents is one matter. Trying to do the same with youngsters who have little understanding of the importance of education and recieve minimal encouragement from home is an entirely different matter - or should I say,job.
I doubt if many teachers in grammar schools would want to teach in schools that are in challenging circumstances. Many gain their professional pride in the academic challenge of their job and enjoy the intellectual stimulus teaching bright children brings.
Unfortunately not all children need to be prepared for Oxbridge. Working with children that find learning more difficult brings a different set of rewards - but, and this is important, requires a different professional approach. Both are educators, but there the similarity ends. They are very different jobs.
My guess is, few grammar school teachers would want to work in comprehensives. Those that did, unless they recieved a great deal of training, would not last more than a term!
I agree with Skool Master.
Indeed, I'd go as far to say that not many grammar masters would be able to cope in inner-city comprehensives!