Grammar School Pupils Gain No Advantage Over Children Who Do Not Attend by Age 14

Grammar Schools Expansion Offers No Benefit:

Children attending grammar schools will not gain any advantage over children who do not attend a grammar school by age 14, the UCL Institute of Education (IOE) has said.

IOE researchers, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, say that the Government’s recently announced funding for grammar schools will not improve children’s outcomes

“Our findings suggest that the money the government is planning to spend on grammar school expansion is unlikely to bring benefits for young people,” lead author Professor John Jerrim says.

“Even those children who are likely to fill these new places are unlikely to be happier, more engaged at school or have higher levels of academic achievement by the end of Year 9,” said lead author of the study.”

Researchers looked at a variety of aspects including engagement, well-being at school, aspirations and educational attainment levels, to find out what the benefits of attending a grammar school were.

After comparing how pupils fared at both grammar and non-grammar, researchers found there was ‘no positive impact upon teenagers’ attitudes towards schools, self-esteem, future aspirations or their English vocabulary.”

Jerrim continues: “Our findings suggest that the money the government is planning to spend on grammar school expansion is unlikely to bring benefits for young people. Even those children who are likely to fill these new places are unlikely to be happier, more engaged at school or have higher levels of academic achievement by the end of Year 9.”

School budgets are already stretched across the country and the money would be ‘better off’ being directed towards ‘areas of existing need, rather than expanding grammar schools’ co-author Sam Sims said.

The researchers from IOE, will continue building on their findings regarding socio-emotional outcomes for children at grammar and non-grammar schools. They believe that not only are they no better or worse than non-selective state schools, they can also be ‘damaging to social mobility’.

Joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Dr Mary Bousted says of the report: “The NEU is absolutely clear that funding the expansion of grammar schools is not an appropriate use of public funds at a time when schools across the country are having to reach down the back of the sofa for spare change.

“There is not a shred of evidence that selective education provides academic benefit in the round and the negative impacts on young people in selective areas who don’t get a place in a grammar school are well documented. The Government has, once again, got its education priorities wrong.”

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