Appendix 2
DEFINING APTITUDE AND ABILITY
Extract from a letter to CASE from the
then Department for Education 26 January 1993
You ask in your letter for the Department's
definition of the words ability and aptitude. I assume you are
referring to their use in both section 16(2) of the Education
Act 1980 and section 104(1)(d) of the Education Reform Act 1988,
which both refer to an example of a change in character resulting
from the making or alteration of arrrangements for the admission
of pupils by reference to "ability or aptitude". These
words are not statutorily defined. Ability can be defined as possessing
enough strength, power or means to perform in a particular area.
Aptitude can be defined as a potential or suitability for acquiring
an actual ability in a particular area. These definitions should
not be treated as definitive interpretations of the two terms,
as the terms have some degree of overlap in meaning, and it is
difficult to define one term without also mentioning the other.
That may be why both terms are used in the legislation, to make
clear that selection by reference to either ability or aptitude
would constitute a change of character.
September 2003
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