A report from the OECD out today supports the aim of Comprehensive Future to end selection at 11.

Quote from the report –

School practices that group students at early ages tend to undermine social mobility

OECD evidence suggests that moving from a practice that separates students

into different schools at age ten to a practice that separates students at age sixteen would reduce by two-thirds the influence of the school socio-economic environment on students’ achievement

Margaret Tulloch Secretary of Comprehensive Future says –

This shows again that ending selection would aid social mobility, not weaken it as some claim.  Any new schools which might be set up in the future must not be allowed to reintroduce selection.

Note

Intergenerational Social Mobility: a family affair? will be published as a chapter in the OECD’s “Going for Growth” report on 10 March 2010. Going for Growth is an annual publication which looks at the progress countries are a making towards structural reforms aimed at enhancing long-term economic dynamism.