In its report on the Sutton Trust’s Mobility Manifesto and admissions poll, the Mail is reporting that parents want a return of taxpayer-funded schemes to pay for bright children from poorer backgrounds to go to independent schools…
…A report today on education and social mobility by the Sutton Trust campaign group says more parents now support rather than oppose schemes for the state to pay for able children to go to high-quality private schools.
An opinion poll by the Trust found 41 per cent thought all children should have the chance to go to private school at taxpayers’ expense. Only 29 per cent were against, with the rest undecided…
The polling, carried out by YouGov among 1,169 parents of school-aged children, also suggested that parents were swinging behind the idea of using ballots for places at over-subscribed state schools. The system in which pupils are selected depending on how close they live to a school has led to claims it benefits affluent families who can afford to live in costly catchment areas.
The report also suggests working-class parents should be given means-tested vouchers that could be spent on extra tuition, books or cultural activities for their children.
Dr Lee Elliot Major, Sutton Trust policy director, said: ‘There is a clear recognition in all the main political parties that we need to do a lot more to improve social mobility. Fairer admissions and fairer access must be at the heart of any programme to improve social mobility. Our poll shows a public appetite for change in oversubscribed comprehensives and academies. We need changes, too, to ensure fair access to grammar schools, independent schools and elite universities.’…
More at: Bring back assisted places for poor pupils: Parents want return of scheme to help brightest
You can see the Sutton Trust’s Mobility Manifesto here, or read more from them on the research here
See also: Lotteries should decide secondary school admissions, parents say
What do you think of the idea of introducing more schemes to help bright children from poorer backgrounds go to independent schools? Please share in the comments or via Twitter and take part in our poll…
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