The Case for Reverse Grammar Schools

Another wacky idea to improve education

Commentators are often asked if they’ve changed their minds about issues, and I rack my brain to think of some area where I have abandoned conservative ideas for principled, rational reasons - just to give the false impression that I am a reasonable, impartial observer.

One area is grammar schools. I used to be in favour, but it was partly for good ol’ days vibes, and because the abolition of most grammar schools coincided with the educational revolution of the post-war period. But the more I read about the subject, the more I concluded that it’s probably a bad idea to remove the top 5-10% of a population. I’m broadly in favour of educational choice – in fact I’m open to the idea of school vouchers – but deliberately designing a two-tier system has a negative effect on the rest of society.