School places 'should be pulled from hat'
Monday 12 April 2010
There has been a furore over pupils missing out on their first-choice secondary schools, with 100,000 expected to have to settle for other higher education establishments this year.
In light of the shortage of places in certain schools, a study has deemed picking school places out of a hat as the fairest way for deciding who should go to an over-subscribed school.
The study by education charity Sutton Trust found that out of the 100 most 'socially selective' schools a whopping 91 were comprehensives whilst eight were grammars and just one was a secondary modern.
The research also discovered that despite an admission code for schools since 2008, schools are still able to pick pupils who will help them "to show up well in league tables".
Researchers said that after address, siblings and faith had been considered, new pupils should be decided through random selection from a hat.
Chairman of the Sutton Trust said: ‘Deployed alongside other selection criteria, ballots are the fairest way of deciding school places in over-subscribed schools.'
Have you had any issues with secondary schools, and do you think school places should be picked out of a hat?
By Anisa Kadri