Author Archives: Margaret Rogers

As a former teacher and Chair of Education, this is why I think grammar schools are so wrong

By Margaret Rogers | Fri 16th September 2016 - 9:55 am

I am writing to state my fundamental opposition to the re-introduction of grammar schools. I say this on the basis of my long career in education.

I was in teacher education for 20 years being a Head of Department at the Maria Grey College and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee in Education at London University. I was Chair of Education in Devon.

At Maria Grey I lectured in the History of Education and The English Educational System, These are some of the points I made in my lectures:

Education in England is like a nubile Cinderella, sparsely dressed and much interfered with.” (Spoken by the Headmaster in the film IF by Lindsay Anderson.

Social class has been the basis of English Education – see Newcastle Commission on The Great Schools (Public Schools) where they referred to schools in different categories for the sons of the aristocracy; sons of gentlemen; and the sons of traders.