8th June 2001 - Times Educational Supplement Letters

Selection benefits all pupils

Professor David Jesson admits the statistics - behind his original claim that able pupils in comprehensives do as well as those in grammars - were flawed ("Selection 'leads to lower standards'", TES, May 25).

It is a pity that he did not publish his updated work before permitting his false claims to appear on the [anti-selection] Campaign for State Education website. By once again announcing conclusions before publication he lays himself open to the same charge.

His exercise will be less valid than the last government attempt to assess grammar achivement at 16-plus. Making full alowance for all background factors showed grammars raised the performances of pupils across the whole ability range.

Fred Naylor.
(National Grammar Schools Association.)

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