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Try out the struggling local state, better-off are urged
Nicholas Cecil, Evening Standard26.09.07
Middle-class parents in London should consider sending their children to struggling state schools, says a government minister.
Schools Minister Jim Knight, 42, argued that the children of well-educated people could do well in whatever school.
"I sent my children to the local school," Mr Knight, MP for South Dorset, told a fringe meeting at the Labour conference in Bournemouth.
"It's probably the least popular school in the area and they have done perfectly well out of it. I believe children from backgrounds like mine, within reason, stand a reasonable chance in whatever school."
Father-of-two Mr Knight added: "I don't think I'm saying to parents 'I think you must send your children to local schools. I was advising parents: 'Please go and have a look at your local schools. Don't just believe reputation or what your neighbours say or even what the Ofsted report says or what the tables say."
Asked whether parents in the capital, who believe their local school is poor, should move closer to a better one or go private, he said: "It's important to remember in London, schools are now outperforming the national average. There are some schools they might think are not good but is their judgment up to date?"
However, the Conservatives warned ministers not to put pressure on parents. Shadow education secretary Michael Gove said: "Ministers should not be blaming parents for government failures in education. Parents should be free to choose which school to send their children and not be forced into schools the Government decides."
At the fringe event, entitled "Can we stop pushy parents ruining kid's education", Mr Knight insisted they were in fact good for children.
"We need all parents to be pushy," he said. "There are too many silent parents and we need every child to have someone who is their champion."
He also signalled that parents of secondary school pupils could soon get almost instant access to records of their child's progress through a computer system which they could access with secure passwords.
They would be able to check if their child had turned up for school, to see their latest test results and other reports from teachers.
Reader views (5)
This may be true if the child can be kept motivated, but that is very difficult when there are serious discipline problems in the school and the teachers' attitude is often the bright ones can look after themselves. Also, 'struggling' schools do not have such a rich extra-curricular life, ie clubs and societies, which is import in developing a child. Neither do they have experience or links with the elite universities that middleclass parents crave. It's all just self-justification from Labour.
- Sue R, London
Paul, couldn't agree with you more. I don't want my children dragged down by unfortunate kids whose parents couldn't give a monkeys about anything except where their next benefit cheque is coming from.
- Craig, Pinner, Middlesex
"They would be able to check if their child had turned up for school" says it all really!
The sort of schools where a computer system is needed to check if pupils have turned up or not is not really up to the stage of producing good exam results.
- Simon, London
"I believe children from backgrounds like mine, within reason, stand a reasonable chance in whatever school."
Well, Mr Knight, this may be good enough for you, but I think you are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think it's true of all children in all schools across the UK.
- Emma, Staines, UK
And I say to you, Jim Knight, if you want my kids to go to the "local struggling school" you will have to bring the academic standard up to an acceptable level and ensure it isn't stuffed with children who have absolutely no interest in learning.
- Paul, Harrow, UK
