Harrison Context: Grammar Schools & The Working Class Pupil

Question 1

What is the difference between working-class and middle-class?

Answer 1

• The middle class is a socio-economic strata that falls in between the working class and upper class.

Question 2

What is a grammar school and why were they controversial?

Answer 2

• A grammar school is a typw of state secondary school that admits its pupils based on ability, first created following the 1944 Education Act.
• One of the main reasons these schools were deemed so controversial is the effect failing a test at age of eleven could impact on individuals and their futures.

Question 3

What children tended to attend grammar schools and why?

Answer 3

• Wealthy pupils are more likely to attend grammar schools than poorer free pupils, even when they have the same attainment levels.
• This is likely because wealthier parents are more likely to seek a grammar school for their child and because wealthier pupils are better prepared for the test.

Question 4

What effect, both positive and negative, did grammar schools have on society?

Answer 4

• Critics of grammar schools say that wealthier children are more likely to receive a place at a grammar school because their parents can pay for tutoring and afford to live in often premium-priced areas, and their existence can actually reduce social mobility.
• Selective state schools have produced some of the best performances in exam league tables. For instance, the percentage of grammar school pupils achieving a 9-5 pass in English and maths in 2018 was 92.9% compared with 44.1% of non-selective schools.