CHAIRMAN ERIC HAMMOND says, “The threat to our Kent system of education, including grammar schools, remains. Our
opponents, having failed to convince Kent’s parents to sign petitions are now beavering away to secure a commitment by the Labour Party to abolish Grammar Schools by direct legislation.”

ABOUT OUR CHAIRMAN
Eric Hammond is the former General Secretary of the Electricians Union and Chairman of the Governors of Gravesend Grammar School.

FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS THE MAJORITY OF THE NATION’S SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE RECEIVED A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION — AND THE RESULT?

	“Too many young people are not achieving as well as they should.”
	“Despite steady progress over recent years, only 51% of pupils achieve five good GCSEs and just over 5% achieve no GCSEs at all.”
	“In a league table of participation rates for 17 year olds, we are equal 25th out of 29 OECD countries, just ahead of Greece, Mexico and Turkey.”
	“One in four 16 — 18 year olds had dropped out of education and training at the end of 2000, significantly above the OECD and European Union averages.”
	“Behind these statistics lie some harsh realities. Despite top quality provision in many schools, too many people have been turned off by their experience of secondary education.”
	"14-19 Opportunity &Excellence" Government Paper (2003)
	DO WE REALLY WANT A SYSTEM IMPOSED IN KENT THAT HAS NOT PROVED UNIVERSALLY SUCCESSFUL ELSEWHERE?
CONTINUING TRUTHS
	Comprehensive reorganisation would mean chaos for the next generation of secondary children.
	Selection by ability is already practised by comprehensive schools through streaming.
	Grammar schools are not elitist. They value pupils from every socio-economic back ground and give considerable support to able pupils from less affluent homes.
	High schools generally perform better than many comprehensives, and are good at compensating for socio-economic disadvantage because of their smaller size.
	If our grammar schools are abolished, selection by ability will be replaced by selection by wealth.
	The arguments for comprehensive education have been based on social and political grounds, not educational ones. The special needs of able children should not be sacrificed to political ideology.
THE WAY FORWARD
COOPERATION NOT COMPETITION This is the latest Government’s message — if it is what the Government REALLY wants, SKS is happy to oblige. We believe in ALL schools working together for the benefit of ALL children.