From a lower class background in the first instance where my parents were concerned, I could actually claim to be from true 'peasant stock' if I were to go back a further generation.My wife is the daughter of a semi-skilled steelworker.
What we have in common is that the John Leggott Grammar School (as was) in Scunthorpe, lifted us and took us to university long before 'dumbing down' had become the prime social aim for the liberal left.
As a youngster I could not believe that grammar schooling was being phased out, so I wish to add several points to the debate now that I have experienced three different systems.
I fully accept that secondary moderns were often lacking but their improvement and leaving the grammar schools alone would have been the obvious way forward.
Sadly, grammar school provision was inconsistent throughout the nation and the often excellent technical schools were far from universal.
The biggest problem that comprehensives have caused arose from the disastrous slogan "A grammar school education for all."
I thought of this many times when teaching unwanted languages and causing unnecessary suffering to generations of pupils of very low ability so that this slogan might be applied.
Obviously, comprehensive schools have been forced to set and stream in order to put a sticking plaster over the countless problems - and it is just not enough. Ethos is all important.
Perhaps ironically, I now teach mixed ability in a tiny independent school and there it can and does work but only because class sizes are capped at 16 pupils and are often smaller.
