Primary schools trying to put off poorer pupils

10 Nov 05
Primary schools are using covert selection methods to weed out the most disadvantaged pupils, according to the director of the Confederation of Education and Children's Services Managers.

11 November 2005

Primary schools are using covert selection methods to weed out the most disadvantaged pupils, according to the director of the Confederation of Education and Children's Services Managers.

In his report published this week, Chris Waterman claims that some primaries are resorting to underhand tactics to ensure that the parents of poorer — and therefore potentially more troublesome — children are discouraged from applying for a place.

Waterman said that some schools recommend parents buy pupils' uniforms from more expensive retailers or stress to poorer families the contributions they would be expected to make towards school funds, residential visits and music lessons.

'Add these elements together, which some schools seem unashamedly to do, and it is all too apparent that education that is “free” at the point of delivery can mean “quite expensive” at the point of delivery,' Waterman writes.

The report, Original sins: a perspective on selection for primary schools in England, calls for more precise guidance on how admissions are administered and more independent regulation of the admissions process. It says this will be even more necessary in the light of last month's education white paper, which will transform each school into its own admissions authority.

'On initial reading [of the white paper] there is no evidence that the admission process will be made any more equitable than at present; in fact, some of the changes are likely to exacerbate the existing unsatisfactory system,' Waterman said.

'In this brave new world of “independent state schools”, each administering its own admissions procedures, there will be even greater need to regulate the admissions process.'

PFnov2005

Did you enjoy this article?

AddToAny

Top