--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Grammar schools are about stigmatising…" description: "\"Grammar schools are about stigmatising children, not on the grounds of their ability, but on their background.\" — Angela Rayner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg" --- # Grammar schools are about stigmatising children, not on… ![“Grammar schools are about stigmatising children, not on the grounds of their ability, but on their background.” quote by Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg) > “Grammar schools are about stigmatising children, not on the grounds of their ability, but on their background.” [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grammar schools stigmatize children based on background, not ability. **In simple terms:** Schooling can reinforce social inequality. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive education. Themes education equality social mobility discrimination Mood concerned advocacy Type political social When to use this quote - school policy reform - teacher training - community outreach Key Concepts Structural inequality social stratification Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance merit and equity? - What alternatives exist to grammar schools? A Different Perspective May overlook merit‑based aspects of grammar schools. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Grammar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar/) ## Related quotes > [The evidence shows that grammar schools overwhelmingly benefit those from more affluent backgrounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/the-evidence-shows-that-grammar-schools-overwhelmingly-benefit-those/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [I think the prospect of bringing back grammar schools has always been wrong and I've never supported it. And I don't think any Conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/i-think-the-prospect-of-bringing-back-grammar-schools-has-always-been/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [Grammar schools are public schools without the sodomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-parsons/grammar-schools-are-public-schools-without-the-sodomy/) [Tony Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-parsons/) > [Like so many other grammar schools that flourished in Britain before they were abolished through a mix of ideology and political folly, Harrow County…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/like-so-many-other-grammar-schools-that-flourished-in-britain-before/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [I can assure you that there is no question of us throwing away the tradition of the Grammar Schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-gaitskell/i-can-assure-you-that-there-is-no-question-of-us-throwing-away-the/) [Hugh Gaitskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-gaitskell/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“Being open about epilepsy assists in de-stigmatising the condition which should never be a source of shame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-ross-mccallum/being-open-about-epilepsy-assists-in-de-stigmatising-the-condition/) Stuart Ross McCallum > [We have an almost complete comprehensive primary school system in England. Surely, if grammar schools are some kind of answer to making education better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/we-have-an-almost-complete-comprehensive-primary-school-system-in/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [I had very bad temper tantrums. I was in more grammar schools than there are years of grammar school. I got kicked out of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valee/i-had-very-bad-temper-tantrums-i-was-in-more-grammar-schools-than/) [Valee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valee/) > [Conservatives have always embraced the idea of grammar schools - that giving a top tier education to bright children from working class backgrounds provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/conservatives-have-always-embraced-the-idea-of-grammar-schools-that/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [A pronoun, too, will aptly reflect the number of its antecedent: "they" does not refer to one person, no matter how many personalities she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elizabeth-gordon/a-pronoun-too-will-aptly-reflect-the-number-of-its-antecedent-they/) [Karen Elizabeth Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elizabeth-gordon/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [We have even done a weekend on Japanese grammar! Not that I know anything about Japanese grammar, but it was Kaz's idea, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-halifax/we-have-even-done-a-weekend-on-japanese-grammar-not-that-i-know/) [Joan Halifax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-halifax/) > [Ever since grammar school, I knew I wanted to be famous - I always wanted to be a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/ever-since-grammar-school-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-famous-i-always/) [Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/) > [Ill-fitting grammar are like ill-fitting shoes. You can get used to it for a bit, but then one day your toes fall off and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/ill-fitting-grammar-are-like-ill-fitting-shoes-you-can-get-used-to-it/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) ## More by Angela Rayner > [The way I want to try and end private schools is by making our national education service so good you wouldn't want to waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/the-way-i-want-to-try-and-end-private-schools-is-by-making-our/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [My mother suffers mental health problems and has a learning deprivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/my-mother-suffers-mental-health-problems-and-has-a-learning/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [We can't have children growing up feeling unloved - the price is too high for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/we-can-t-have-children-growing-up-feeling-unloved-the-price-is-too/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [You'd be surprised how many politicians have a working class background but they get it beaten out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/you-d-be-surprised-how-many-politicians-have-a-working-class/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [I understand that every parent wants the best for their child because I want the best for my children too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/i-understand-that-every-parent-wants-the-best-for-their-child-because/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [Surely in a country that works for everyone ensuring that everyone has access to an excellent education should be the first priority of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/surely-in-a-country-that-works-for-everyone-ensuring-that-everyone/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [We had poverty in our house. Even on the council estate I knew I was one of the poorer kids. I used to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/we-had-poverty-in-our-house-even-on-the-council-estate-i-knew-i-was/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [If you want to underestimate me because I speak like a Mancunian, like the people I grew up with, then so be it at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/if-you-want-to-underestimate-me-because-i-speak-like-a-mancunian-like/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [School, for me, was not a place where you went to be educated, but a place where you got away from your parents for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/school-for-me-was-not-a-place-where-you-went-to-be-educated-but-a/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [We need a sustainable system of student finance that promotes opportunity, encourages aspiration, increases social mobility and is governed by fairness. But all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/we-need-a-sustainable-system-of-student-finance-that-promotes/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [Building a country that worked for everyone was supposed to be about supporting ordinary working class families, which is exactly what Labour's plan to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/building-a-country-that-worked-for-everyone-was-supposed-to-be-about/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [People are still programmed to think that if your child doesn't get straight As, get A-levels and go to a Russell Group university, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/people-are-still-programmed-to-think-that-if-your-child-doesn-t-get/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [Inherently I think the goodness in most people, we get a warm sense of satisfaction if we help someone, it makes you feel better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/inherently-i-think-the-goodness-in-most-people-we-get-a-warm-sense-of/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [Half of those people who experience mental health difficulties do so before the age of 14. The problems begin early - so early interventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/half-of-those-people-who-experience-mental-health-difficulties-do-so/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [I don't want to stick a sticking plaster on it, I don't want to fix children once the system's broken them, I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/i-don-t-want-to-stick-a-sticking-plaster-on-it-i-don-t-want-to-fix/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) [Explore all 100 Angela Rayner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. 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I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Grammar schools are about stigmatising children, not on the grounds of their ability, but on their background.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angela Rayner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-children-not-on-the-grounds-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-children-not-on-the-grounds-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/angela-rayner-5644_ability_grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-c_1906352.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Grammar schools are about stigmatising children, not on the grounds of their ability, but on their background.” — Angela Rayner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Angela Rayner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Grammar schools are about stigmatising children,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-children-not-on-the-grounds-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/grammar-schools-are-about-stigmatising-children-not-on-the-grounds-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```