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Monday, October 26, 2009

Eleven Plus Culture

In 1958, when the Eleven Plus was in the glory days of infancy, the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions tried to effect far reaching changes.

The teachers did not want: "a limited culture dominated by the glory of Greece and the grandeur of Rome reflecting little of the achievements, the ideas and the philosophy of modern science."

The eleven plus was taking away some of the more able children. Some of the children in the less academic schools were, however, forced to learn the more academic subjects.

Today the eleven plus remains the pursuit of the academically able. It is also sad to note that science remains a low priority in the selection process of the eleven plus. Would our children be better served if the examination reflected the modern world we live in?

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