A REPORT into classroom standards in Kent’s secondary schools has ignited yet another row over the county’s selective system.

Ofsted was ordered to produce a report into standards by the new education secretary Charles Clarke. Last month, he told MPs selection was responsible for inhibiting the educational opportunities for “significant numbers” of pupils.

Ofsted’s analysis says Kent has a far higher proportion of low achieving schools than similar education authorities at Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3 and GCSE results.

Using its own system of benchmarking school performance, Ofsted says when the GCSE results of Kent schools are compared with similar schools elsewhere, more than half (56 per cent) fall into its poorest category of E and E*. The figure for similar LEAs is 28 per cent. Ofsted would normally regard schools in this category as giving cause for concern.

However, the report stresses the data compares secondary moderns against comprehensives. The report also states when national comparisons are made, Kent has a greater number of high-achieving schools – reflecting the large number of grammars.

County education chiefs have already dismissed the findings. Cllr Paul Carter, KCC's cabinet member for education, said: “There is nothing new in this. We have always argued that you cannot use the Ofsted methodology to compare our high schools with comprehensive schools. I am not saying everything is rosy in Kent and there are both high schools and grammar schools which could do better.”

But anti-selection campaigners seized on the report. Kent Labour MP Dr Steve Ladyman said: “Whichever way you look at the evidence, it is clear that Kent has a far higher proportion of under-achieving schools than other similar authorities. I hope both KCC and the Government will commission a more detailed study of standards in Kent.”

STEP – Stop The Eleven Plus – spokeswoman Becky Matthews said: “Parents are at last being told the truth about poor standards in our schools. We hope KCC does not try to paper over what is not a small gap but a growing chasm between Kent and elsewhere.”

In a statement, the Department for Education said it was up to parents to decide if they wanted selection to be abolished.

"The Government does not support academic selection at 11 and does not wish to see it extended. It is up to local parents to decide the future of selective admissions at existing grammar schools. Any change in this area would require legislation."