Education is the most powerful force in the world. It can solve all our greatest problems: poverty, discrimination, cynicism, despair.
Education is vital for everyone, but it is those at the very bottom who need it the most. Those without wealth, connections or privilege. Those from broken homes or devastated countries.
Education is how the down-trodden can achieve a better future.
I went to school in Lincolnshire where we still have the traditional Eleven Plus.
One of my friends at Primary School always wanted to work in TV. She failed the Eleven Plus. The next day I overheard in the Post Office: “She’ll never be able to work in TV now, she’s failed the Eleven Plus” – to murmurs of agreement.
This is what the Eleven Plus does. It carves society into winners and losers; it emburdens children with social judgement – and all before they’re old enough to watch a Bond film at the cinema.
My old Primary School
Michael Pavey 