Schools that can select pupils
The three main kinds of selection in the maintained school system
Partially selective schools select only a proportion of pupils by ability or
aptitude, whereas grammar schools are normally wholly selective by ability.
Depending on where you live, there may be one 11+ type test which children sit
to assess their ability for a selective place, or individual schools may run
their own tests. Your local authority
(LA) can advise.
Banding is used by some comprehensive schools to ensure that their intake has a
spread of pupils of all levels of ability. Children applying for a place are
tested in order to identify their level of ability and then placed into the
ability band appropriate to their test results. If there are more applications
than places available within a specific 'band', the places must not be
allocated to children in the 'band' who have scored the highest marks.
Normal oversubscription criteria must be applied to decide who should be
offered a place.
The 1998 School Standards and Framework Act:
- rules out any new selection by ability, except for sixth forms and banding arrangements
- allows grammar schools to continue with their selective admission arrangements. These arrangements can only be changed by parental ballot or by proposals from the school's governing body
- allows schools which have existing partially selective admission arrangements (defined as arrangements which were in place in the 1997/98 school year and continuously since then) to continue with those arrangements provided there is no change in the method of selection or the proportion of pupils selected
- allows schools with a specialism in
certain subjects to admit up to 10 per cent of pupils on the basis of
their aptitude for one or more specialist subjects. The "relevant
subjects" are:
- physical education or sport
- the performing arts
- the visual arts
- modern foreign languages
- design and technology
- information technology - the Act also established independent adjudicators to consider objections by a school admission authority to another's admission arrangements (except arrangements that can be changed only by other statutory procedures). Adjudicators can rule out, or modify, proposed admission arrangements (including partial selection).
- Parents may make an objection against some existing partial selection arrangements (i.e. arrangements continuing since 1997/98 which are permitted only because they were already in place).
