But the make-up of May’s cabinet – 20 members went to state schools and around six of those were grammar schools, including the prime minister’s school – may have brought the proposed education reform back into the foreground.
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Speaking under a banner which read, “A country that works for everyone”, Mrs May made no apology for the sweeping reform, claiming that she is determined to create a “true meritocracy”.
According to Mr Burns Dorset is one of the few places left in the United Kingdom where grammar schools are still part of the education offer.
But she was not the only one raising concerns about what could turn out to be the biggest education reforms in a fifty years.
“And yet, for most children the chance to attend a selective school simply does not exist”.
This follows comments from David Cameron who told ITV news there was “some merit in the policy being put forward” on grammar schools, and denied he was resigning because of the new policy.
In fact poorer children in local authorities that now operate a grammar school system perform worse than those in non-selective authorities, and are far less likely to score highly at GCSE.
After the speech in central London, the prime minister was forced to defend her controversial plans.
Sky Data also asked respondents whether the Government should hold a general election before changing its policy on schools.
Most people back the Prime Minister’s plan to scrap a ban on grammar schools, a Sky News snap poll suggests.
Mrs May, who took over as prime minister following the European Union referendum in June, was also expected to say that faith schools would be allowed to admit more pupils on the basis of their religious background.
Many educators say creating new grammar schools will lower standards in comprehensives by siphoning off the brightest and most ambitious pupils.
“We are looking at a range of options to allow more children to access a school that lets them rise as far as their talents will take them”.
The Christian ethos education charity Oasis, which runs 47 academies, including 17 secondaries, immediately ruled out the possibility of any of their schools selecting students by ability or faith. “I strongly oppose 100% faith schools and will be voting against religious segregation of our children”.
The document said Education Secretary Justine Greening’s “clear position” was that they should only be approved once ministers have worked with existing selective schools to show that pupils who do not make the grade are not disadvantaged.
But her ideas for England’s schools were attacked by educationalists including the Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, who accused her of trying to “put the clock back” in a way which would halt momentum towards better results in the state system.
Data shows the schools tend to disproportionately help wealthy children who can afford extra tuition to get through the entry tests while harming opportunities for their poorer contemporaries.
Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston said the PM had spoken, on her arrival at Downing Street, of her desire to reverse inequality, and warned: “I think we need to be very careful that we’re not ending up giving one message but introducing policies that go in the opposite direction”.
“For too long we have tolerated a system that contains an arbitrary rule preventing selective schools from being established – sacrificing children’s potential because of dogma and ideology”.
“This is really important to say”, he added.
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Labour have pledged to fight the grammar school plans “every step of the way”, while Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron predicted the “out-of-date, ineffective approach” would be defeated in the House of Lords, where Mrs May does not enjoy a majority. She believes it is “wrong in principle to select children at the age of 11”.
