What Is A Grammar School?
Contents
How many grammar schools are there in England?
Facts and figures about grammar schools – There are 163 grammar schools in England. Around 5% of secondary pupils in England attend a grammar school. ~19% of England’s secondary school pupils are affected by academic selection, attending either a selective school or a de facto secondary modern,
- Based on 3458 secondary schools in England, 163 grammar schools, ~500 schools changed by grammar schools.663 of 3458 schools = 19%) Around 100,000 pupils sit the 11-plus each year.
- There are 35 local authories containing one or more grammar schools.11 local authorities are classed as ‘highly selective’ by the DfE, with this designation based on more than 25% of pupils attending grammar schools.
The highly selective authorities are Bexley, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Medway, Slough, Southend-on-Sea, Sutton, Torbay, Trafford and Wirral. The DfE claims non-selective schools in highly selective areas have the lowest attainment, with an average Attainment 8 score of 46.9, and Progress 8 -0.09, which is statistically significantly below the national average.
Free School Meals pupils are underrepresented in grammar schools, with just 5% of grammar school pupils taking free school meals, while the average in non-selective schools in selective areas is 23%. Pupil Premium is an alternative measure of disadvantage based on eligibility for Free School Meals at any point in a pupil’s school life.
Grammar school’s intake is made up of around 8.3% Pupil Premium pupils, compared to a national average of 27.6% disadvantaged pupils in secondary schools. The reason grammar schools admit such low numbers of disadvantaged pupils is likely to be because these pupils are already significantly behind at school when the 11-plus exam is taken, 
Approximately 11% of grammar school pupils attended a fee-paying primary school before attending a selective secondary school. In England overall 5% of pupils attend private primary schools, so this suggests affluent families are deciding to send their children to grammar schools instead of fee paying secondary schools.
Grammar schools are far less likely to admit SEND pupils than non-selective schools, with just 0.3 per cent of statemented pupils in grammar schools (compared to 2 per cent in non-selective schools in selective areas) and 4.3 per cent of SEND pupils without statements (compared to 15.5 per cent at non-selective schools in selective areas).
Children in care are underrepresented in grammar schools. CF’s research showed 68 grammar schools contained no pupils who were flagged as Looked After Children. An average grammar school in a fully selective authority will educate just 2 looked after, or previously looked after pupils, while neighbouring non-selective schools will average 14 of these pupils. 
Grammar school systems offer cause problems at post-16 level. This is because the selective schools attract high attaining pupils, and will tend to offer a good range of A levels and no vocational subjects, while nearby non-selective schools tend to have small sixth forms and a limited range of A levels.
Kent County Council highlighted the problems this causes in a report that stated, ‘Kent schools effectively continue to represent different systems (high school, grammar school) post 16, as they have done pre-16 Many pupils’ choice at 16+ is constrained by what their school offers, in terms of qualifications.’ It also states, ‘ The gap between progression rates to the most selective higher education institutions for disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students appears to be wider in Kent than nationally.
Overall, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds appear to make even less progress than their non-disadvantaged peers when the data for Kent is compared to the national average: this raises questions about their access to grammar schools.’ Comprehensive Future’s map of grammar schools in England shows data for every school.
What does grammar school mean in England?
Grammar school in British English noun.1. British. (esp formerly) a state-maintained secondary school providing an education with an academic bias for children who are selected by the eleven-plus examination, teachers’ reports, or other means. Compare secondary modern school, comprehensive school.
What do British people call preschool?
Information – Terminology varies by country. In some European countries the term “kindergarten” refers to formal education of children classified as ISCED level 0 – with one or several years of such education being compulsory – before children start primary school at ISCED level 1, The following terms may be used for educational institutions for this age group:
- Pre-primary or creche from 6 weeks old to 6 years old- is an educational childcare service a parent can enroll their child(ren) in before primary school. This can also be used to define services for children younger than kindergarten age, especially in countries where kindergarten is compulsory. The pre-primary program takes place in a nursery school,
- Nursery school (UK and US) from 0 months to 5 years old- is a pre-primary educational child care institution which includes Preschool.
- Daycare (US) from 0 months to 2½ years old – held in a Nursery School, but can also be called “a child care service” or a “crèche”.
- Preschool (US and UK) from 2 to 5 years old- held in a Nursery School; readiness has to do with whether the child is on track developmentally, and potty training is a big factor, so a child can start as early as 2 years old. Preschool education is important and beneficial for any child attending nursery school because it gives the child a head start through social interactions. Through cognitive, psychosocial and physical development-based learning a child in preschool will learn about their environment and how to verbally communicate with others. Children who attend Preschool learn how the world around them works through play and communication.
- Pre-K (or Pre-Kindergarten) from 4 to 5 years old- held in Nursery School and is an initiative to improve access to pre-primary schools for children in the USA. There is much more than teaching a child colors, numbers, shapes and so on.
- Kindergarten (US) from 5 to 6 years old- held in a Nursery School and/or some primary elementary schools; in many parts of world (less so in English speaking countries) it refers to the first stages of formal education,
What do they call school in America?
How Americans and Brits refer to college vs. university – In the United States, the words ‘school’, ‘college’, and ‘university’ are used interchangeably in speech when referring to higher education institutions. Out of the three, ‘college’ is the most frequently used one.
Teachers, parents and students use it to refer to their undergraduate or graduate/postgraduate studies and institutions. In America, it’s more common to hear ‘I’m going to college’ or ‘college students’ than ‘I’m going to university’, which is something you’re likely to hear in Europe. The U.K. is the best example here.
Students prefer to talk about ‘going to university’ or refer to themselves as ‘university graduates’, rather than ‘college graduates’. 
What is the difference between grammar school and normal school in UK?
But what are Grammar Schools? – Grammar schools are State secondary schools, academically selective, contrary to Comprehensive secondary schools, which do not select their students based on academic tests. Each political party in the UK has been keeping its ideological position and the debate about whether creating new Grammar schools has become more and more passionate. Here are some pros and cons arguments to try and sum up the debate:
Are grammar schools private in the UK?
What are state, private and grammar schools? – State schools, also known as comprehensive schools, are government-funded schools which must follow the national curriculum. Students are normally selected based on their proximity to the school and don’t have to pay a fee to attend.
There is a wide variety of types of state schools, such as local authority, academies and faith schools. Grammar schools are also technically state schools, free and funded by the government. However, they are ‘selective’, requiring students to take a common entrance exam, also referred to as the 11-plus.
They prioritise places for students with the highest scores, making it very competitive to attend. The test focuses on your child’s maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning skills. We have an impressive guide about it here, Private schools are run by the owners of the school and charge a fee for the students to attend. 
Does London have grammar schools?
KNOWLEDGE BASE FREE CONTENT – State-funded grammar schools are top of the class when it comes to exam results and providing a bright future for your child – and you won’t have to pay a penny. Join us as we take a closer look at London’s 19 grammar schools.
Why is it called grammar?
Etymology – The word grammar is derived from Greek γραμματικὴ τέχνη ( grammatikḕ téchnē ), which means “art of letters”, from γράμμα ( grámma ), “letter”, itself from γράφειν ( gráphein ), “to draw, to write”. The same Greek root also appears in the words graphics, grapheme, and photograph,
What is another name for grammar school?
synonyms for grammar school –
grade school primary school
On this page you’ll find 5 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to grammar school, such as: grade school, and primary school.
