School crisis 'down to the government'
THE man with overall responsibility for education has said everything is being done to find grammar school places for children left bitterly disappointed by the selection process.
In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, Cllr Paul Carter, the leader of Kent County Council, blamed the current crisis on the government for preventing a grammar school being built in Sevenoaks.
And he said the council was powerless to force grammar schools to scrap their existing internal selection criteria, which allows them to cherry pick the brightest pupils regardless of where they come from.
This year's nightmare has seen 114 Kent pupils left without a grammar school place despite passing the 11-plus.
The full extent of how many are from Sevenoaks is still to be made public, but last year's figures showed just 48 per cent of the district's youngsters were offered a place at their first choice.
In Tunbridge Wells the figure was 72 per cent, in Tonbridge 63 per cent and county-wide 66 per cent.
Cllr Carter said: "I hope it's improved slightly.
"If we were allowed to do what we'd like to do we would build more grammar school places in West Kent. The solution would be to build a grammar school in Sevenoaks."
Rules
Government non-discrimination rules have also seen 532 pupils from outside Kent being offered a precious grammar place.
Cllr Carter said the council are can only put some gentle pressure on grammar schools to choose children from the county ahead of those from outside of Kent.
But despite funding them, he claimed the council could not force schools to do it.
"They do get their funding from us but they are their own admissions authority because they're ex-grant maintained schools," he said.
"We're governed by the admissions regulations set by national government. We can't break the law."
Parents and teachers alike have criticised the system for putting undue stress on children.
Last week we reported on Jade O'Rourke, of Main Road in Sundridge, who could only be offered a place at the comprehensive Skinners' Kent Academy in Tunbridge Wells, despite passing the 11-plus.
Jade's mother Lisa said: "This political row about Labour not letting them have grammar schools and the Conservatives not bowing on the grammar system is disgusting.
"It's almost childish and our children are the victims of that."
Jade now faces a lengthy appeal process, which could take several months to be resolved.
Places not taken up at grammar schools in the east of the county are in the process of being transferred to West Kent to help solve the problem.
Cllr Carter said this could only be done after the appeals process had kicked in.
Competition for grammar schools is so fierce parents are paying for extra tuition to get their children through the exam, a situation that could disadvantage poorer families.
"We need to continue to try and change the test in significant ways that don't benefit those who have been coached (out of school hours)," said Cllr Carter.
"We're using every available tool to make sure it's the fairest system possible and allow people who pass the 11-plus into a good local grammar school."
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by Man of Kent, Sevenoaks
Monday, March 29 2010, 8:55AM
“Yes, Taxpayer. Millions have been spent on Bradbourne School for, apparently, nothing. It does make sense for Wildernesse and Bradbourne to merge since already one sees all day and nearly every day pupils wandering aimlessly from one site to the other. If they were all in one place perhaps they might benefit from the teaching.
It has not yet been announced what is to happen to the Bradbourne site. Perhaps the obvious fate would be to demolish the school and sell the site for development. There must be space for at least 750 houses there. However, a sensible solution ¿ could it be that KCC would adopt such a course ¿ would be to use recycle Bradbourne School as a grammar school. The saving by not having to transport so many children from Sevenoaks to Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and beyond would be quite considerable.”
by Texasdan, Seal
Wednesday, March 24 2010, 5:02PM
“The merger to two existing schools (to make the Knole Academy) obviously has only one aim and that is to facilitate the type of sex education lessons where pupils are forced to experiment on each other against their will. This is disgusting and totally unacceptable.”
by Tax Payer, Kent
Friday, March 19 2010, 6:18PM
“If the government can push and agree to Lloyds taking over HBOS at £billions loss to the taxpayer and countless damage to the wider economy , they can certainly (and do) waste a lot of money needlessly in education and in most public services. The investment in Bradbourne school in the last couple of years, to be shut down now, is a case in point.”
by Dave, West Kent
Friday, March 19 2010, 5:16PM
“I dont think the government would have agreed to this school being set up if they thought it was going to be a waste of money. Clearly KCC had to do something about secondary schools in Sevenoaks and this was their prefered solution so you can blame KCC if it does not suit your personal circumstances.. Hopefully this academy will be successful and the days when one of Sevenoaks schools was in the bottom 33 in the county will be over. With the influence that Sevenoaks school will have asa sponser and with the school more in charge of its own budgets and destiny things can only improve, One possitive thing is that academies can pay teachers more than KCC and this will attract better teachers. This must be a big plusand is already taking place elsewhere.”
by Tax Payer, Kent
Friday, March 19 2010, 3:30PM
“That's all well and good Dave but when the Labour government are spending a fortune to merge two perfectly acceptable schools in Sevenoaks into the Knole Academy AFTER spending a fortune on upgrading Bradbourne school, you can see the money is just being wasted needlessly. No one as yet has been able to give one advantage for this merged school other than the travel time will be 15 minutes less! Hardly a good reason. Dread to think how the rest of the funds are being frittered away.”
by Dave, West kent
Friday, March 19 2010, 1:48PM
“Left to its own devices the schools of KCC weould have continued to crumble under the tory control. But thanks to funding fron the Labour government many schools in Kent have been repaired and Labout is still committed to replace or improve every secondary school in the county and country. Currently £1.8 billions is being spent in Kent. That dwafts the KCC total anual budget. Whether you live in Kent or Sussex, only 40% of the KCC budget comes from the council tax, the rest comes from central government.”
by anon 2, pembury
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:14PM
“tax payer in Kent. Attack a labour gov if you wish. I have no axe to grind., but it is a conservative council that allows this to happen because it is to their own advantage to inflate the higher end in order to offset "the rest",. Take a look at the figures referring to "failing schools. (another lot of statistical garbage).”
by anon 2, pembiry
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:03PM
“Councilor Carters comment is devisive. Perhaps it ought to read that "all pupils benefit from the fairest system possible".”
by anon 2, pembury
Thursday, March 18 2010, 8:57PM
“Why does anon..kent.. refer to him/herself as "taxpayer in Sussex"? Is it because there is a percieved advantage to using the iniquitous systen in Kent rather that the fairer system in Sussex?”
by anon2, pembury
Thursday, March 18 2010, 8:45PM
“Interesting. Kent supplying places for Sussex children when they can't provide, at a satisfactory level,(is thisreally the case? Or is it just the same old bigotry.) for their own. How /why does this happen? Perhaps a sound/ fair for all comprehensive system is what is needed (just like Sussex). As for "labour gov destroying fabric of society".Which is the county with the problem? ALL are entitled to the best opportunities , not just those that have the means/parents/money that are able to educate in kent... ..Perhaps if the opportunities were fair for all rather than "post code plus parent income" your comment smight be valid.
Look at what is there and work to make it the best. There should be no school that is automatically less attractive than another.”