KENT’S selective system of education is facing fresh fire after Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott claimed it worked "for the few at the expense of the many".

Meanwhile, an academic study has further fuelled the debate after claiming that children who did not pass the 11-plus were condemned to lower standards than if they were educated in a comprehensive system.

The findings were swiftly dismissed by KCC’s Conservative administration.

Mr Prescott’s comments about Kent came during a speech in which he singled out the county as an area where there was a significant gap between the worst and best schools.

He contrasted the performance of schools in his own constituency of Hull where there is a compehensive system.

While acknowledging the gap there between the best and worst schools there was "not good enough" he went on to say it was better than Kent.

"I do note that the famous grammar-school area of Kent has an even greater gap in its educational performance between the top five grammar schools, which average 100 per cent, and the bottom five schools, which average 25per cent. Selection clearly works for the few at the expense of the many."

Meanwhile, a study by Professor David Jesson of York University, focusing on the 75 per cent of pupils who did not pass or take the 11-plus found they got lower GCSE results than they would have done had they lived somewhere without selection.

The detailed results of the study are due to be published in the next few weeks but Professor Jesson concludes: "Selective school systems, and in particular the secondary modern schools which educate the majority of pupils in these systems, underperform substantially compared to the outcomes for comprehensive schools."

Cllr John Simmonds (Con) KCC’s Conservative cabinet member for education, said he was sceptical of the study.

"I do not think his argument stacks up. While there are outstanding comprehensives, I have a worry that they can under-perform for those students at the top end of the academic scale. It is vitally important we get the best out of all children. Kent is ahead of the national average in Key Stage 4 results and that must say something."

Critics of Kent’s 11-plus said the research was further evidence the system should be scrapped.

KCC opposition Labour spokesman Cllr Roger Truelove said: "The impact of selection in Kent is complex. It not only removes the top 25 per cent of children from the remaining schools but leads to an unhealthy scramble by many schools for the most able remaining pupils. Inevitably, it leaves a core of schools at the bottom, with a predominantly low ability intake, low aspirations and low performance."

Campaign group STEP - Stop The Eleven Plus - spokesman Martin Frey said: "This research corroborates what we have suspected all along. Selection sacrifices the future of three-quarters of childen for the interests of the other quarter."