Alan Bainbridge has spent his career in education, from teaching in secondary schools to becoming Professor of Education at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Yet as a child he “failed” the 11-plus — an experience that shaped his lifelong concern about how selective education labels children. He has long campaigned against the test, which he calls “testing children at the age of 10,” arguing that it fuels inequality and undermines social cohesion.

In this interview, Alan reflects on his own school experience, his path to becoming a professor, and why he believes selective education is damaging for children and society.

Can you tell me about your memories of taking the 11-plus, and how it felt to be labelled “not academic” at just 11 years old?

I actually have no memory of sitting the 11-plus, but I do remember the teacher, Mr Baker, reading out all the results to the whole class. My name and school came up quickly, but because I’d spent most of my junior years in Australia, it didn’t really register with me. No big deal was made of it.

What impact did that result have on your confidence and your school years that followed?

I went to a great secondary modern school with a very forward-thinking head teacher and staff who genuinely liked working with young people, so I loved secondary school. I did well and had fun. But I was very aware that many of my primary school classmates were having a very different educational experience to me. Another lad from my primary school who was told he was going to the same secondary school as me, ended up going to the grammar school because his parents ‘appealed’. I’d no idea what this meant but couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to be at the same school as me!

Despite the 11-plus setback, you’ve now become a professor. Can you tell me about your journey?

I didn’t feel it was a setback until I moved to the grammar school for A Levels. That was like entering another world, different clothes, different relationships with teachers, different ways of talking. My confidence fell, and I never imagined I’d become an academic, let alone a professor.

I always wanted to teach because I’d had so many great teachers at secondary school. My poor A Level results were just enough to get me into university to study Zoology, and I became a science teacher. After 20 years in the classroom, I moved into teacher education and then into Education Studies at university. That’s where I found something that combined my interests, gave me something to say – and now to profess about.

Why do you believe selective education is harmful to children and society?

This isn’t just belief, I know it from experience and research. It is the silly little test that I want to focus on, and the ridiculous notion that testing 10 year olds should determine which school is attended. We know the 11-plus is a deeply flawed test that misplaces around 20% of children. The arbitrary pass mark can be adjusted to keep selective schools oversubscribed. Counties with 11-plus systems do worse overall than those with comprehensive systems.

Selection favours families with greater resources and increases inequality. Huge amounts of money are spent by parents and government on preparation and administration. Schools are not responsible for increasing social mobility and employment opportunities – this is the role of government, business and industry

Do you believe grammar schools and selection at 11 disadvantage certain groups of children more than others?  

The very quick and evidenced answer is ‘yes’ – selection at 10 favours those with greater financial resources and the cultural capital associated with selective education. I’m not going to blame schools but I am going to ask those in leadership roles to consider the impact their school has on all young people in their community. I’m not sure my family or I had any deep understanding of what sitting selection tests at 10 years old really meant – beyond some primitive attempt at sifting young people.

I know you’ve written a paper studying politicians attitudes to selection, can you tell me something about that? Are there signs that attitudes are changing?

Politicians from all parties talk about ‘evidence-based’ policy, but when it comes to selection they ignore the evidence. They sidestep it and find other reasons to maintain the system, often because they think supporting the 11-plus will win votes.

I’m now working on a paper with James Coombs on the inaccuracy and unfairness of the test itself, and the findings are pretty conclusive.

What would a fairer, more inclusive school system look like in your view?

A more inclusive school system will probably not come about by fiddling with school admissions (although I do accept this is an excellent first step!) more inclusive societies will have more inclusive education systems. The onus is on governments, on politicians – not schools. But I know people want solutions quickly. Where I live 30% of young people attend selective schools. Let’s make all schools non-selective with young people attending their local school. The time effort and money on selecting the 30% to be sent to a separate school can be saved and these young people will be educated with their peers. If you want – every school can have a 30% cohort of ‘selective’ pupils. That sounds pretty good to me.

Finally, what message would you give to children (and parents) who feel disheartened by the 11-plus today?

I don’t want children or parents to have to think about the 11-plus at all.
But if you are a parent or child in a selective area rest assured, your teachers will want the best for you. I firmly believe that everyone simply wants the best for the young people in their care. Rather than be disheartened, we should all be very disappointed in those who are in positions to make decisions about how schooling is organised. They are not bold or wise enough to take heed of the evidence. This includes government ministers, policy-makers, Local Authority officers, Chair’s of Governors, Head Teachers. All of whom, in my local area have had the evidence presented to them … often by me! But they chose to ignore it and continue with one of education’s clearest researched areas that is known to be ineffective and damaging.

If you get the chance, look them in the eye, and ask them politely and simply to explain what evidence it is that they are drawing on to inform their decision … Let me know what they say as they will not have a leg to stand on!