What is a grammar school?

What is a grammar school?

Grammar schools educate children aged between 11 and 18. They have a selective entrance procedure, choosing students based on their academic ability. Usually, these schools will require applicants to take the “11 plus” examination. This is a test taken by children in Year 6 (the final year of primary school). These children are usually 10 or 11 years old. Grammar schools are free to attend and are funded by the UK Government. They do not charge tuition fees (although they will charge for lunch, clubs and extras), making them accessible to a broad range of students.

History of grammar schools

Grammar schools have a long history in the UK. The word “grammar” in English (it’s originally Greek) comes from the Middle Ages when these schools taught Latin grammar. In 1944, the UK Government passed the Education Act, which formalised the UK school system by creating the tripartite system of education, which categorised schools into grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools. In the late twentieth century, many grammar schools were converted into comprehensive schools (with no selective admission), but around 160 remain, retaining their selective process.

What are the differences between grammar schools and independent schools?

Grammar schools are state-funded and do not charge tuition fees, whereas independent schools are privately funded and charge tuition fees. Admission to grammar schools is based solely on academic performance, typically measured via the 11-plus exam (as described above), whereas independent schools may use a multi-stage process, including entrance exams, interviews and references from previous schools.

Applications for grammar schools go through the local authority, meaning they are only open to residents of the United Kingdom. Independent schools are open to all applicants, including overseas. Typically, independent schools often offer a more extensive range of extracurricular activities and facilities, while grammar schools concentrate primarily on academic excellence. Class sizes are generally larger in grammar schools, with around 30 pupils to a class, whereas independent schools will have much smaller classes of between 10 and 20.

Which counties have grammar schools?

Grammar schools are in many areas, including the following:

• Berkshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Essex
• Hertfordshire
• Kent
• London

Resources for Further Reading:

Book

1. Education in Britain (2015) by Ken Jones
2. The Education Systems of the United Kingdom (2000) by David Phillips

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