Campaigns against 11-plus A former headteacher, who is also a school trust executive chief based in Essex is set to launch a campaign on the ending of the 11-plus exam. Caroline Derbyshire commented to EssexLive it described the exams as “against everything we believe in education”. Caroline is set to put the cause in motion in December 1.

The 11-plus exams are sets of exams taken to try to enter grammar schools. There are 11 grammar schools in Essex. Places in these schools are in demand and competition is fierce, even so that schools have tailored requirements to enter. As an example, while 628 of the year that started at King Edward VI Grammar School only 149 applicant got in.

At Grammar school's grades are significantly higher than the national grade. Sources from 2022 show that over 44 percent of A levels at KEGS received a very top A* grade, nearly 78 percent were at a A grade or above. Caroline Derbyshire, the former teacher at Saffron Walden County High School, will also be joined by Greg Dyke (former director general of BBC). Caroline also later stated that she thinks “it's ridiculous to give children a test at age 11.” She feels strongly on focusing on the progression of children as the can learn and grow.

The consortium of selective schools in Essex says the purpose of the 11-plus exam “is to select children who have potential to thrive in an environment which provides a high curriculum”. But Ms Derbyshire and a group of qualified educationists said this selection process does not recognise the range of talent children have.