Blaming the grammar schools for making kids feel bad if they fail to reach the level of education required to qualify for them really is a case of blaming the messenger!
The state schools fail to educate the kids and the grammar schools won't take them on as a result.
The problem has occurred before the kids apply to the grammar schools.
The problem has occurred because the state system is dumbed down to meet government targets.
But Labour have reduced the number of grammar schools, so many kids who would qualify fail to get a place because there simply are not enough places because of New Labour policies.
One thing seems to be clear. Ed Balls obviously believes that grammar schools are better than state schools and that means that New Labour have failed to bring the state schools up to the the standard of grammar schools, despite all the money spent on the education system in the UK.
This is an admission of failure by the government minister responsible!
Keywords: education, grammar schools, state schools