Parents and the Eleven Plus

In 1926 the Hadlow Report recommended that here should be a separation between primary and secondary education at age 11. One of the further recommendations was that the allocation to either Grammar or Modern School should be by examination at the age of 11. It was felt then that the modern school curriculum should be the same as the grammar school but shorter and more practical.

In 1931 the Report of the Consultative Committee on the Primary School supported the Hadlow recommendation at the age of transfer should be 11.

In 1938 The Spens Report proposed three types of secondary school – Grammar, Modern and Technical. Children aged between 11 and 13 should have a similar curriculum to facilitate transfer.

Year after year the authorities have tried to improve standards of education. The Eleven Plus, however, has remained a fairly stable examination in the face of all this educational change. There have been some tweaks over the years, but by and large the examination has maintained a firm attempt to select bright and able children for the grammar school.

A number of parents seem to welcome the eleven plus examination whole heartedly because they feel that they have something significant to contribute to their child’s education.