Time for 11-plus to go

On a daily basis, I deal with the build-up, administration and fall-out of the 11-plus. I am staggered that in 2016, it is still deemed acceptable to cast judgement on pupils, at the age of 11, on how best to educate young people from that point on. Surely, it is clear to see that children grow, change, develop, mature and improve in many areas over their formative teenage years. I see the effect that 11-plus results have year after year. It is no wonder that the high schools in Guernsey have exam results significantly below that of the colleges and Grammar. They are being filled with pupils who have been given the message that they are second-rate learners. What impact do you think that has on their self-esteem and their motivation to excel? A profound and negative impact, I can tell you from professional experience.

I have read numerous comments and opinions on the fact that life is competitive and children should get used to it. I firmly agree with this but a child's educational pathway is no place to teach them this lesson. They should learn this through sporting competition or events within the Eisteddfod. Education is not a way to let children know that there are 'winners' and 'losers' in life. It demoralises and demotivates – and trying to pull a pupil back from that mindset is an incredibly difficult job to do.

The way that pupils should be taught in 2016 is vastly different from 30 or even 20 years ago. Pupils learn from each other, they don't sit passively and 'receive' knowledge from the teacher. Their differences should be embraced and utilised, not used as a basis for selection. Within my class, I have a huge range of abilities across all subjects. Within literacy, the lower-performing pupils benefit hugely from hearing the richness of language and powerful vocabulary of the more-able pupils. In numeracy, more-able pupils work alongside and help explain concepts and ideas to pupils who are struggling. This, in turn, deepens and consolidates their own understanding. It is a strong motivator for the less-able and gives a platform and model of learning to aspire towards. This collaboration is important, developmental and potent for all pupils at all levels of ability. By segregating pupils via the 11-plus, you hit children with a double punch; you give them the message that they are second-rate pupils and then remove a large amount of their peers who could help them and supply aspirational standards and examples of good practice.

The problem with this type of debate is that it is an unfortunate fact that a large number of people feel their opinions and views have a weight behind them because they have been to school. It demeans the profession of teaching. I have been to hospital but it doesn't make me a surgeon. I have also been to a courtroom but it doesn't qualify me as an advocate.

People who feel they have the right to contribute should research, read, discuss with the profession – then form their opinion. Spend some time reading Dylan William, Ken Robinson, John Hattie or Tom Bennett. This decision is too big and too important to base on personal experience of one's own schooling or even what you think education is like in 2016. Schools in this day and age are very welcoming places. I would hope, if not expect, the deputies who will be voting on this system to be visiting as many as they can over the next few weeks and conversing directly with people who are in the midst of this – pupils and teachers of Guernsey.

I do not see how deputies could vote on this without having done so first.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD.