Focus 1, The End-of -the -Year Test

Read the extract from a novel. Choose the answer, A, B, C or D.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH GRAMMAR SCHOOLS?

In 1944, The Education Act in England and Wales created three types of secondary school. All students took an exam at the age of eleven and then went to a grammar school, a technical school or a secondary modern. The top 25 per cent of students went to grammar school and the majority of them continued in education to university.

In 1965, politicians and education experts decided to change the system to comprehensive schools. Comprehensives were ‘fairer and better for everyone’ because all students, whatever their ability, should go to the same school and have the same classes with the same teachers. Grammar schools didn’t completely disappear. There are still 164 state grammar schools in England and they are very popular. So why aren’t there more of them?

There are two main arguments against them. Firstly, people say that the best teachers wanted to work in grammar schools where the students were better behaved. The second argument is that richer parents can spend money on private education for their children and make sure they get a place in their local grammar school. These two arguments are totally correct but it isn’t the grammar schools’ fault. Schools for less academic children should be better. The students should learn the skills they need to succeed in life but they aren’t going to go to university and we shouldn’t pretend that they will. As for the richer parents using their money to help their children, it is obvious why this happens. There aren’t enough grammar school places. Build more schools and it will be easier for all clever children, rich and poor, to go to a grammar school.

Grammar schools work. Twenty or thirty years ago, many of our politicians were ex-grammar school students. Now, most of them seem to be from private schools. And what do the public think? 76 per cent support the idea of having more grammar schools. Shouldn’t our politicians give the people what they want rather than telling them what they should have?

Question 1

Between 1944 and 1965,

Read the extract from a novel. Choose the answer, A, B, C or D.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH GRAMMAR SCHOOLS?

In 1944, The Education Act in England and Wales created three types of secondary school. All students took an exam at the age of eleven and then went to a grammar school, a technical school or a secondary modern. The top 25 per cent of students went to grammar school and the majority of them continued in education to university.

In 1965, politicians and education experts decided to change the system to comprehensive schools. Comprehensives were ‘fairer and better for everyone’ because all students, whatever their ability, should go to the same school and have the same classes with the same teachers. Grammar schools didn’t completely disappear. There are still 164 state grammar schools in England and they are very popular. So why aren’t there more of them?

There are two main arguments against them. Firstly, people say that the best teachers wanted to work in grammar schools where the students were better behaved. The second argument is that richer parents can spend money on private education for their children and make sure they get a place in their local grammar school. These two arguments are totally correct but it isn’t the grammar schools’ fault. Schools for less academic children should be better. The students should learn the skills they need to succeed in life but they aren’t going to go to university and we shouldn’t pretend that they will. As for the richer parents using their money to help their children, it is obvious why this happens. There aren’t enough grammar school places. Build more schools and it will be easier for all clever children, rich and poor, to go to a grammar school.

Grammar schools work. Twenty or thirty years ago, many of our politicians were ex-grammar school students. Now, most of them seem to be from private schools. And what do the public think? 76 per cent support the idea of having more grammar schools. Shouldn’t our politicians give the people what they want rather than telling them what they should have?

Question 2

Comprehensive schools are better than grammar schools because

Read the extract from a novel. Choose the answer, A, B, C or D.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH GRAMMAR SCHOOLS?

In 1944, The Education Act in England and Wales created three types of secondary school. All students took an exam at the age of eleven and then went to a grammar school, a technical school or a secondary modern. The top 25 per cent of students went to grammar school and the majority of them continued in education to university.

In 1965, politicians and education experts decided to change the system to comprehensive schools. Comprehensives were ‘fairer and better for everyone’ because all students, whatever their ability, should go to the same school and have the same classes with the same teachers. Grammar schools didn’t completely disappear. There are still 164 state grammar schools in England and they are very popular. So why aren’t there more of them?

There are two main arguments against them. Firstly, people say that the best teachers wanted to work in grammar schools where the students were better behaved. The second argument is that richer parents can spend money on private education for their children and make sure they get a place in their local grammar school. These two arguments are totally correct but it isn’t the grammar schools’ fault. Schools for less academic children should be better. The students should learn the skills they need to succeed in life but they aren’t going to go to university and we shouldn’t pretend that they will. As for the richer parents using their money to help their children, it is obvious why this happens. There aren’t enough grammar school places. Build more schools and it will be easier for all clever children, rich and poor, to go to a grammar school.

Grammar schools work. Twenty or thirty years ago, many of our politicians were ex-grammar school students. Now, most of them seem to be from private schools. And what do the public think? 76 per cent support the idea of having more grammar schools. Shouldn’t our politicians give the people what they want rather than telling them what they should have?

Question 3

Grammar schools