Private tutors boost grammar chances

Judith Burns BBC News education reporter

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02/08/2013

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Many parents rely on private tutors to boost their child's chance of a grammar school place, suggests a small poll.
Seventy-two per cent of 212 first year grammar school pupils said they had been tutored for entrance exams in their last years of primary school.

Researchers from the Institute of Education (IoE) spoke to students at grammar schools in south-east England.
The results suggest pupils may not have an equal chance of getting into grammar school, said author Prof Judy Ireson.

"Parents may see private tutoring as a rational way to help their children perform well in the entrance exams for schools of their choice," she said.

"Yet if our findings reflect a national picture it means that grammar school selection is not a level playing field with some children having a substantial amount of coaching to succeed."

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