Public Schools And University Entrance

EDM number 835 in 2002-03, proposed by Brian Sedgemore on 05/03/2003.

That this House expresses its concern that too many public schools are educating their pupils beyond their ability in an effort to enable them to get places at university which they do not deserve; congratulates those universities who are beginning to see through their confidence trick which has existed for decades; notes that 'A' levels provide only limited evidence either of intelligence or as a predictor of good degrees; condemns nasty and selfish attempts at blackmail by the President of the Girls' School Association and Chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference to obtain places at university for undeserving pupils and create a socially divisive country through privileges for the middle class; and calls on the Government to stop changing its policy on this issue and instead remove the charitable status of those public schools involved.

This motion has been signed by a total of 17 MPs.