IT MUST be hoped that Steve Harrod, Oxford County Council’s new cabinet member for education, will read closely the letter sent to Justine Greening by 32 Oxfordshire headteachers and five CEOs of multi-academy trusts, united in their opposition to expansion of selective education.
It must also be hoped that Mr Harrod won’t beat the drum of his successor Melinda Tilley, who in response to a county council vote by 37 to 14 against the rebirth of grammar schools, declared she wanted an “education revolution” and for the selective cause was all set to fight it out with teachers, politicians and teaching unions.
Mr Harrod says he’s “open-minded regarding the issues of selective systems of education”, which is jolly good but too much is at stake in our schools for this cabinet member for education to deliberate at leisure.
Listening to teachers and parents might be a good starting point.
And to pupils!
BRUCE ROSS-SMITH Bowness Avenue, Headington
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