Tony Blair famously declared the beginning of the "post-comprehensive era" a decade ago, calling for diversity in the mission and ethos of schools. The vast majority of comprehensives did follow Blair’s recommendation, with 96.6% of secondaries now specialist schools. However, there are still around 80 "bog-standard" comprehensives that have not conformed to this trend. While the term "bog-standard" is seen as offensive by many, it is important to note that in other high-performing countries like Finland, uniformity in schools is seen as a positive thing. Critics argue that the proliferation of different types of schools in England is due to a desire for "market-place differentiation" by parents who want the best for their children. However, some experts argue that sticking with the bog-standard comprehensive system would have been better, as league tables and consumer choice actually create dissatisfaction among parents. Wales, which has a system that is 99.5% comprehensive, does not use league tables, specialist schools or academies. While it is currently struggling to produce good results, experts believe that improvements will come from within the comprehensive system. Community links are seen as vital to the success of schools, with one headteacher noting that every town wants to support its local school.
Twyford School goes beyond its local community to cast its nets wide in search of students. It caters to pupils from seven different authorities and 70 feeder schools. Majority of its students have shown commitment to their faith by providing evidence of attendance at a worship place from the age of six, and few of them qualify for free meals.
While acknowledging that the school has a larger than average number of students that would have gone to grammar schools in the past, head teacher Alice Hudson insists that Twyford is, in fact, a comprehensive school. She says that institutions that prioritize academic achievement tend to attract more capable students.
The school’s unique features, including its faith status and specializations, would have made it a great comprehensive school according to former Prime Minister Tony Blair. However, his opponents at the time felt that his strategy would result in a two-tier education system, which proved to be accurate in the end. Former deputy Labour leader Roy Hattersley warned Blair about the inherent dangers of this system, but his calls went unheeded. Today, schools still operate within the market economy of education, leaving those at the bottom disaffected and disadvantaged.
Currently, the Labour Party is pledging to bridge the divide and promote comprehensive ideals. Education spokesperson Andy Burnham, who himself attended a comprehensive school, lays the blame for the current situation at the feet of the government. He cites the government’s policies as creating competition amongst schools and segregating the education system, ignoring the lessons of the "post-comprehensive" era of Tony Blair’s leadership. It remains to be seen if these new promises will be effective in reversing the damage caused over the past decade.
