There is a new attack on grammar schools that many are unaware of – starving them of cash. St. Bernard’s Catholic Grammar could be forced to become an academy by joining with St. Joseph’s Catholic Comprehensive. Strangely enough there is no money to repair or renovate the schools unless they become a super academy. So St. Bernard’s has to lose its selective status to be granted money by the government. This is a form of blackmail by this Labour Government. Hopefully a new Conservative government will sweep this form of educational vandalism aside.

Who wants this to happen? Quite frankly – hardly anybody, except the government (which has the money, which it will of course borrow) and the Northamptonshire Diocese (which has no money to help). Those who oppose the change include: virtually all the parents, the children, the teachers, the governors and prospective parents wishing to send their children to the school. In terms of results, this is the highest ranked school in Slough, beating all the other grammars in the area and the comprehensives (including academies).

Currently, there are only two Catholic grammar schools in the London area. However, St. Michael’s Catholic Grammar School in North London is a girls’ school. Therefore, St. Bernard’s is the only co-educational Catholic grammar and, if it changes to an academy, this will give parents less choice.

It's very interesting to find that governments that only enjoy a minority of the country’s support also seem to pursue policies that are only supported by a minority of the public. It is clear from opinion polls a majority of people support the grammar school system but governments consistently fail to implement what the public really want. Northern Ireland has gone in the same direction. Opinion polls there clearly indicated that there was widespread opposition to abolition of selection. Again the Northern Ireland Assembly failed to listen to the people. Here is the evidence from reliable opinion polls.

Times Educational Supplement

An opinion poll carried out by FDS International for the Times Educational Supplement (7th January) found that 55 per cent of parents in social classes A and B supported a return to selection. This opinion was shared by 53 per cent of skilled workers. Support for selection dropped among so-called 'working class' parents, but even in this category, 42 per cent supported selection by ability at 11. (Please note, this is not just the retention of selection, but 'a return to selection'.)                                (The Daily Telegraph, 8 January 2000.)

It is no wonder that the general public become cynical about politics when the majority view is consistently ignored. Governments seem to think that when they are elected they can simply ignore the public until they face another election. And even then, they still take no notice of the public on many issues. The Conservative Party, the traditional friend of grammar schools, has ignored the statistics about grammar school support as we approach this election. What a tragedy for democracy!