SIR,—Never have I heard such an unsupported non- argument in
defence of the grammar school! Mr. Smith.should choose his quotations more carefully: nothing could be less clear than describing ths com- prehensive system as 'a regrettable and is places damaging irrelevance.'
I, too, am a sixth-former—in one of the best schools in Scotland. based on the comprehensive system, a school established more than thirty years ago to provide a reasonable equality of oppor- tunity. Such schools exist throughout Scotland and atiethigtdy successful. The classes (forms in England?) are divided according to ability. but there is no barrier preventing late developers from showing their talents, moving to a higher class, sitting SCE examinations, or finally going on to a university.
A comprehensive system on this basis, whatever Mr. Smith may say, does not fail—it has been proved, and works satisfactorily. An added advan- tage is that the best teachers are available for all pupils, regardless of their intellectual merits. Many highly qualified and gifted teachers experience great satisfaction in seeing children who (perhaps through difficult and backward home circumstances) seemed quite incapable of any academic achievement sitting and passing SCE examinations.
This system does not lower the standards of the best pupils: Scottish universities preserve the highest academic standards--witness the large number of English students who matriculate in Scotland, and the smaller number of Scots who attend English universities.
Previous page
