Office of the Schools Adjudicator meeting

I have just returned from a meeting called by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator to take the views of members of the public over the admission arrangements to Rugby’s secondary schools. The key issue being considered is the extent to which places should be made available to pupils from other education authorities and a decision needs to be taken quickly so that both schools and parents will be clear about the situation for September 2010 entry. I heard a number of parents speak who were passionate about the education their children receive, quite reasonably wanting to make sure that they have the opportunity to receive the best.

It seems to me that adjudicator has a most difficult task, that of setting out access arrangements for something which is extremely rare and very precious, namely grammar school places. The tragedy is that there are so few of them, and as they are scarce in supply they are highly prized and contested. It is this which has led to the conflict between parents from different areas. I am a product of one our grammar schools, one of my children was in the 6th form, one has just started at one of the schools and so I know from my own experience just how valuable these places are. We are extremely fortunate that such schools exist in Rugby and that they do so is thanks to the hard work and commitment of Rugby's elected representatives a generation ago. In the 70s a campaign was fought to resist the imposition of a comprehensive system and instead to retain grammar schools in Rugby. At that time those engaged in the campaign sought to do so not as a principled stand for the country as a whole, but for the benefit of the people they represented, Rugby parents and their children. For this reason, it is my view that in coming to a decision, the adjudicator should have regard to how it is that here in Rugby there remains real choice in education and as such the priority in allocating those places should be to Rugby's children.

On a broader point, listening to parents tonight, I came away with a real understanding of how important quality and choice in education is for many parents. I was left in no doubt that raising standards across the system as a whole, and ensuring that all children get the education they deserve will be so important for us once we are in Government.