Which of the following is commonly cited advantage of the comprehensive system?

• A. No entrance exam and a mixed-ability intake, offering more opportunities.
• B. Continued strict tracking by ability from age 11.
• C. Smaller schools with fewer subjects.
• D. Exclusive focus on private tuition.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how a comprehensive system is designed to promote equal opportunity by letting students of different abilities study together without a selective entrance exam. When there’s no entrance exam and students are placed in a mixed-ability intake, schools bring together a broad range of talents and backgrounds in a single setting. This arrangement reduces early labeling and the stigma that can come with tracking, and it supports peer learning and shared opportunities. By exposing all students to a wider curriculum and diverse peers, it aims to keep doors open for social mobility and prevent sharp early divisions that can limit future prospects.

That’s why this is seen as the commonly cited advantage: it emphasizes inclusion, broader access, and the potential for all students to develop within the same school environment. The other options describe features more typical of tracked or smaller, narrower settings, or practices (like heavy reliance on private tuition) that don’t reflect the intended strengths of a comprehensive approach.