The truth about grammar schools
Many people believe that students who attend grammar schools are absolute snobs who work every minute of the day and have no social life. However, having gone to Wallington High School for Girls, which is an all-girls grammar school, for my entire high school life and now for sixth form I am determined to prove this belief wrong.
Of course, the standard of work at a grammar school is most likely higher than state schools due to the fact students must sit an examination when they are in year six to be accepted into them. However, students still work at different capability levels depending on the subject and are supported by their fellow peers as well as the teachers when necessary. Believe it or not we are not all in competition with each other. When students find out one of their peers has completed an exceptional piece of work they are extremely proud of them or if they have won a competition, whether it is in maths or netball, they are always championed on.
Moreover, going to a grammar school doesn’t mean our brains are going to explode any time soon due to the excessive hours people think grammar school students study for. In Wallington Girls, as well as the five lessons we have a day, there are a variety of extra curriculum activities for us to participate in - ranging from sport clubs to art clubs to music lessons. This allows students to socialise with friends and for them to focus on other interests apart from just maths and English. In addition, there are always numerous events that are organised by students and teachers for the rest of the school to look forward to such as gym and dance displays, music concerts and talent shows.
As a result of a vast amount of the population thinking grammar schools are such oppressive places where you are constantly studying, I have interviewed a student from Wallington Girls currently in year 12 who has just recently transitioned from a mixed state school. Even she admitted to having reservations about joining an all-girls grammar school as she too believed that the school would be full of competition and everyone would be overly confident.
On the other hand, when I asked her if her opinion had changed once joining, she immediately responded with an affirmative answer and stated it had changed within the first week. She found that students were surprisingly friendlier than people at her old school which is no doubt due to the ethos we follow which transforms us into polite and approachable young women once we leave school.
She also confirmed that she has found there were many more opportunities such as the World Challenge and Young Enterprise; an incredible number of social groups to attend; and better teaching. When asked about whether being at a grammar school had altered her work ethic, the student responded that being at a grammar school has made her work a lot harder than she has been used to in the past in order to meet the teacher’s standard, however she understands that this hard work will pay off in the end as it will help her attend a prestigious university and become successful in the future.
In my opinion, I hope that the public will soon understand that grammar schools are not full of students forced to constantly study, but do provide a friendly environment for students to encourage them to do their best to help them reach their full potential.
By Anika Hariram
Wallington High School for Girls
