I have registered with this site especially to put forward my views on this programme because it infuriated me so much. The programme itself was interesting but Mr. Shah's constant harassment and pressure on his son really annoyed and upset me. That poor boy had so much pressure on him he'd have felt like an utter failure if he hadn't passed those exams.

I went to a grammar school - state-funded but selective, and there were a handful of children like Mehdin who had been coached specifically for the entrance exams. When these children actually started at the school though it was clear that they did not have the natural intelligence of the other children and they really struggled. Mr. Shah claimed that other parents who didn't force their 11 year-old children to do 3 hours of revision and practice each evening were failing their children and it is necessary to get your child into these schools. This is totally untrue - the majority of pupils at my school had not had this level of coaching, they were just naturally bright and keen to learn. Like I said, it was the coached children who struggled and who I believe were done a disservice by their parents. They felt the pressure immemsely and a boy at my friend's grammar school (also state-funded) actually committed suicide and left a note saying it was because he could not live up to the expectations of his parents and just did not have the ability they wanted him to have.

I also feel it to be totally untrue that because Mehdin is of Asian-origin he is automatically at a disadvantage to other children. The 11+ exams are not done on the basis of colour, they are purely on ability and sometimes home location if they have a catchment area. My brother went to Tiffin Boys' School for which Mehdin sat the exam and the Asian population is healthily represented - at least a 3rd of pupils are of Asian-origin.

Basically I found Mr. Shah's attitude outrageous and felt motivated to lodge my counter opinion. I fully appreciate that his motivation was decent and he feels he his doing the best for his child, I merely think his approach is inappropriate.

also feel it to be totally untrue that because Mehdin is of Asian-origin he is automatically at a disadvantage to other children.

This comment related to life beyond school and not to the 11+ exam. He was of the opinion that Asians leaving University had a disadvatange in the jobs market. If an employer was asked to chose between a white person and an Asian person of similar ability they would be 7 times more likely to choose the white person.