Thousands of parents are enrolling young children in fee-paying preparatory schools – where they enjoy smaller classes and more teacher attention – to maximise their chance of getting a free grammar school place at 11.

Many are prepared to pay several hundred pounds for professional coaching to ensure children pass the 11-plus – rather than spend thousands every year on senior school fees.

I really don’t see any reason why we as parents should not try to do the best for our children. A good education is recession proof.

Recent research has concluded that coaching for the 11-plus is now “routine” among middle-class parents – spending an average of £700 on private tutors.