THE BOYS at one of the best-performing schools in Reading have been defended after it emerged that just 13 per cent of pupils there are White British.
Reading School is a state selective grammar school in Erleigh Road with a history dating back to 1125.
Boys can attend the school if they pass an exam to prove that they have reached the required academic standard.
Government-published data has revealed that just 13.2 of the pupils are White British, in statistics from January this year.
The largest demographic at the school is Asian Indian, accounting for approximately 47 per cent of pupils.
The data was seized on by Rupert Lowe MP, the leader of Restore Britain and other right-wing public figures, arguing it is a stark example of “demographic decline.”
But politicians in Reading have defended the school’s efforts to break down barriers to entry and congratulated those who have successfully been admitted.
Councillor Rob White (Green, Park), the leader of his party on Reading Borough Council, said: “I completely reject Restore Britain’s attempt to present that diversity as a threat.
“The important question is whether bright local children from every background have a fair chance of getting into Reading School, regardless of their ethnicity or how much their parents can afford to spend on tutoring.
“I welcome the school’s work to break down those barriers and encourage more local families to apply.
“Green Party policy which I support is to end selection by ability and move towards an inclusive education system rather than grammar schools.”
Councillor James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst), the leader of the Lib Dems on the council, said: “The boys at Reading School have earned their places by passing a tough exam. They are Reading boys, and they deserve to be celebrated for their hard work. They should not be held up as a symbol of ‘demographic’ decline.
“Talk of ‘demographic security’ and ‘resisting’ children because of their ethnicity is ugly and divisive, and it has no place in Reading.
“Our town has always been at its best when families from every background live, learn and work side by side.
“There is a real question here, and the school itself has put its finger on it: are bright boys from every part of Reading, and every income bracket, getting a fair shot?
“Families who can pay for expensive 11-plus tutoring will always have a head start. Children in some of our neighbourhoods, including many White working-class boys, are being left behind long before exam day.
“So I welcome Reading School prioritising boys from Reading postcodes, including in my own ward of Tilehurst, and from nearby state primaries. I also welcome its new test, which is designed to make tutoring pointless. Parents in Reading should know that this outstanding school is free and open to their sons.
“The lasting fix, though, is investing in early years, primary schools and SEND support right across Reading, so that talent, not a family’s bank balance, decides how far a child goes.”
Cllr Moore initially stated that Reading School had been singled out as an example of “demographic replacement” by people who had “never set foot in our town.”
However, he acknowledged that Mr Lowe did attend the University of Reading when provided with that information.
Responses have been requested from the other parties on the council for comment.
