'Stand up and confront myths'

Last week thousands of letters were delivered to homes bearing the results of the grammar schools’ entrance tests.

We were regaled with stories in the media of highly agitated parents besieging the Post Office and the telephone lines of the AQE. What are we doing to our children?

I have come across dozens of people who had their children sit all five tests. It makes me cringe to hear some of them claim that their child “wanted to do it”.

It is parents alone who decide to put their children through the very tests they often go on to complain about. I know some who entered their children for these exams despite having already decided to send them to an all-ability school that doesn’t require it.

The more people who stand up and confront the myths around academic selection the sooner it will be brought to an end.