Children form poorer backgrounds face a postcode lottery when it comes to getting a place at Kent’s grammar schools, it has been claimed.

Opposition Liberal Democrats say more of the county’s 33 grammar schools should be taking steps to encourage applications from pupils from poorer backgrounds.

Only one of the county’s grammars has responded to encouragement from the government to amend their admissions to give greater opportunities to those from deprived backgrounds.

That is Queen Elizabeth’s School in Faversham, which now places children on free school meals as a priority when it comes to its over-subscription criteria. The Department for Education (DfE) recently confirmed it has given permission for 30 schools to change their admission procedures - none in Kent.

The issue was raised by Liberal Democrat county councillor Ron Bird at County Hall last week.

He said the admissions arrangements of too many grammars were skewed by the “ability of relatively well off parents to pay for tutoring for their children.” There was clear evidence this made it very difficult for children from deprived backgrounds to get a grammar school place, he added.

He called on education chiefs to act, saying “there is a risk of a post code lottery for grammar school admissions developing in the county.”

On a visit to Kent last year, education minister David Laws said the county’s grammar schools should be doing more to offer places to bright children from poorer backgrounds.He described the proportion of pupils from poorer backgrounds as “unbelievably low.”

The evolution of a widespread coaching culture has been recognised as an issue by Kent County Council, which has introduced a new test designed to make it less coachable.
Cllr Roger Gough, the Conservative cabinet member for schools, said KCC was doing what it could but it had few powers to intervene.

“As so many of the county’s grammar schools are their own admission authority, the council is not in a position to ensure that all grammar schools in Kent give priority places to children from deprived backgrounds.”

But he added many did make use of a “health and special access” criterion, which did allow places to be offered to those who were less well off.

Despite the apparent reluctance of selective schools to change their admissions, recent figures suggested more children from disadvantaged backgrounds are taking the eleven plus test in Kent.

Cllr Gough said data indicated the number of children on free school meals taking the test rose between 2010-11 and 2013-14 from 578 to 1319. At the same time, the number who were assessed suitable for grammar school rose from 118 to 272 in the same period.
“We are committed to examine the full range of measures and to work with grammar schools on the issue,” he said.