ABSTRACT

In discussing the undesirable effects which 11+ selection often has on the emotional and educational development of children, it is not easy to retain a balanced view. The pressure on the schools is likely to be particularly compelling, too, in small villages where the one or two teachers are known personally by all the parents, and thus find it much more difficult to resist them. The great majority knew of coaching by parents at home or by tutors out of school hours during the 11+ year; and many stated that parents asked for homework to be set. But three-quarters of them denied that parents tend to put pressure on the schools for extra work. Another investigation, aimed specifically at providing some reliable information on extra-mural coaching, was carried out over a two-year period by Gibson. There are particular difficulties in obtaining reliable information on the extent of coaching in schools and of distortion of the primary-school curriculum.