I went to an all boys catholic grammar school and was buggered senseless.....did me the world of good.
But seriously we do not need a two tier education system.All schools should be able to educate our young upto an acceptable and similar standard.
Grammar schools are devisive for a number of reasons
Firstly they tend to attract better teachers why? because teachers feel there is much more quodos when gathered around the dinner table with friends to state..."ah yes I teach at the local grammar" rather than "oh yeah I teach at the local comp..."for some outdated reason or notion comps are seen as a dumping ground for the less educated or less well off.The only way around this problem is to scrap grammar schools and adopt one educational system free and available for all.
Secondly children are often pressurised to do well and go to the local grammar merely so their parents can boast about it to others.I know my Mum used to be overly proud of her lads.I would have preferred to stay with my mates and gone to the local comprehensive instead I had to travel 8 miles to and from home to a school in Manchester where I knew no-one.The result being that although my sisters who all attended the local comp still have lifelong school friends to this day.I have not met any of my classmates from the day I finished school. No kid wants to travel 16 miles by bus for a night out or whatever.
Thirdly and probably more important now than in my day these type of different schools can lead to bullying."He goes to that posh grammar lets dufff him up" (sorry that sounded a bit old fashioned and Jennings style but hopefully you get my drift.)
Maybe Politicians should listen to what the kids want and not their aspiring parents desires are.
As for BarryW's point of competition it has been reintroduced and is thriving.That could be something to do with us hosting the Olympics where the worlds best will be competing.
I have a good friend from a solid background(his father was a Bishop) my friend attended Oxbridge Uni(I can never recall which one) he was a Major during the war aged only 24yrs.He helped set up the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme etc,a Headmaster,a Senior Civil Servant awarded the OBE and other bits and pieces but for all of his privileged background held strong left wing tonybenn like views.He sent his children to the local comprehensive even though he could afford public schools because he wanted them to have a rounded education. Very brave in his day to make that decision.His son is now a Labour MP with a 28thousand majority safe seat. So moulds can be broken if we ,as parents, and the government,as leaders, are prepared to make changes that may be unpopular but in 20 or 30 years will have greatly improved and overhauled or educational system.