Government’s school admissions plans – NUT view

8 September 2006

Commenting on the Government’s draft schools’ admissions code, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said:

“While the proposed new admissions code gives helpful clarifications it still leaves selection in place.

“Instead of banning the use of subtle forms of selection such as requiring expensive uniforms or implying that donations are required from parents, the draft code only offers guidance. This is not enough.

“The Government’s love of increased diversity and marketisation of schools puts pressure on head teachers to look for loopholes in the code.

“Already academies are using subtle forms of selection and if they fail to weed out the more challenging pupils at that point, they are then using exclusions to achieve their aim.

“Local authorities must have the power to intervene to ensure that schools do not select by subterfuge and undermine the spirit of the code.”