I agree with that, the basic simplicity of that just cannot be denied. The devil comes in the detail.
We have two comprehensives in our town, one is close to the top of the league table, one is very close to the bottom. Same town, same generally average population to draw from same guidelines on religion and on uniform etc.. Both are state funded LGA controlled etc.. There is only one clear difference. The comp that is currently out performing where it should be, is a girls only school. The comp that has consistently for 15 years underperformed under the control of various head teachers, is all boys.
The solution currently proposed? One supersized mixed school. Now I may just be a cynical old bugger, but I don't see that achieving anything other than making one supersized broadly average school. Yippe doo to that solution.
I don't think the boys' school should simply be left to 'get on with it' condemning all male students to a poor education. I also don't believe the solution is to dilute the girls' school. So now we have to deal with those pesky details.
I don't claim to have the answers, but I'm fairly sure there are two things that won't work:
Gove style amateur political interference.
A supersized, all in, one stop, mega comprehensive left free to just get on with it.