Professor Sharon Peacock’s 11-plus story

Renowned Covid scientist Sharon Peacock spoke to the BBC’s Life Scientific about her troubled education. She failed the 11-plus and attended a secondary modern school, leaving at 16. It took her years of effort through evening classes to achieve her A levels and reach University to study medicine. She is now Professor of Public Health and Microbiology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge. She has held senior positions at Public Health England since 2019, and in 2020 helped to establish and then lead the COG-UK the COVID-19 Genomics Consortium. Her story demonstrates the fact this flawed exam is a very poor judge of potential. LISTEN HERE.

Our new Education Secretary appears to be a fan of grammar schools

Nadhim Zahawi was appointed Secretary of State for Education in September 2021. His parliamentary constituency in Stratford on Avon contains three grammar schools. In 2016 he wrote a piece for Conservative Home entitled, ‘The government is right to seek more grammar schools’. He recently said, ”Selective schools have a place in our ecosystem… if they are doing a good job and if they are really doing everything they can to make sure that opportunity is available to every child.”  We feel Zahawi is missing the point that grammars clearly deny opportunity to most children, reducing school choice for all who fail to pass their entrance test. At present the government does not appear to be pursuing a policy of expanding selection, but we are aware that many Conservative MPs support selective education.

Comprehensive Future’s AGM

Comprehensive Future’s  2021 AGM will take place on Thursday November 25th at 6pm. We warmly invite our supporters to join us at our AGM Zoom meeting. At the meeting we will be electing our 2021-2022 steering group team and reviewing a busy year of work. We will also allow plenty of time for CF members and supporters to share ideas and suggestions for our way forward in the coming year. Book your place HERE.

Catch up with our webinar exploring social justice in education

If you missed our recent webinar you can watch a full replay on YouTube, or check out the highlights. Dr Alan Bainbridge discussed selection, Sammy Wright of the Social Mobility Commission spoke about the attainment gap and Ash Sarkar spoke about ‘disposable’ children.Visit CF’s YouTube channel HERE.

Comprehensive Future needs your financial support, please consider donating to help us continue our campaign. DONATE NOW.