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P.O. Box 921 Maidstone Kent ME14 5WZ |
| 7 October 2002
The Editor Dear Sir, Your Comment "Nightmare of schools debacle" KM 4th October calls for a workable formula to be found to address the schools admission chaos brought about in Kent by the Adjudicator's decisions. Support Kent Schools agrees but it is also worth recalling that for many years parts of Kent had a system, which was just that - workable. Children sat a test and shortly afterwards parents were informed whether their child was deemed selective or non selective. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the selective system there is no getting away from the fact that this test was of fundamental importance in the choice of secondary school. Armed with this information parents and children were able to visit schools in the appropriate category. It was straightforward and relatively simple. The present chaos has been brought about for two reasons: Firstly, opponents of selective education, having found negligible support for their campaigns to destroy successful schools (grammar and high), have been forced to resort to any other means available to them to undermine the system. Secondly, decisions made by the Adjudicator's office have been based more on political correctness than common sense. Kent parents and children face a difficult time in securing a place at a school best suited to the child's needs. It need not be so. Yours faithfully Eric Hammond 
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