A seemingly “leaked” letter distributed on social media appeared to suggest some resistance from Education Secretary Justine Greening over the plans, leading to some doubts over the likelihood of the new grammar school proposals being passed.
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There has been speculation that prime minister Theresa May could end the ban on new grammar schools in a bid to boost social mobility. “If they think this is the right thing to do, they should bring it to Parliament and win the argument”.
The Department for Education has confirmed that the memo signed off by its permanent secretary Jonathan Slater recently photographed in the hands of Earl Howe outside Downing Street is an “internal government document”, but said it would not comment on its contents.
“Meanwhile Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron told Sky News: “(The) Government are planning to shamefully extend grammar schools through the back door.
She said: “What I want to do in looking at schools is to build on the success of the six years under David Cameron’s premiership where we’ve seen more children in “good” and “outstanding” schools”.
Sir Michael Wilshaw, the government’s outgoing chief inspector of schools, dismissed the selective model – long favoured by many Conservatives and still existing in Kent – and said it would fail the poorest children.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “I am in favour of young people being taught together of differing abilities because that helps them to develop at their own pace but also helps everyone to understand the abilities and values in each other”.
“Whilst I’ve often heard many Conservative politicians talk about bringing back the grammar school, I’ve never ever heard any Conservative politician ever call for the return of the secondary modern school”.
“London boroughs remain committed to playing our part within the education system to ensure children in London receive a top-quality education, and that is why we are so concerned about the likely impact of the national funding formula for schools, on top of rising costs and growing pupil populations”.
And he warned: “If you create a grammar school, you create a secondary modern”.
John Pugh, of the Liberal Democrats, said: “This lays bare the desperate lengths the Conservative party are willing to go to deliver grammar schools through the cloak of expansion”.
“The more experienced teachers go to grammar schools and we know that only one in four non-selectives are rated “outstanding” and many “requires improvement”.
Having gained a first class degree from Oxford and begun his career working as a civil servant at 10 Downing Street under Baroness Thatcher, the former MP was nicknamed “Two Brains” by his colleagues due to his background and his serious approach to policy formulation.
There have been concerns that grammars have a disproportionately affluent intake – and these “conditions” might suggest that new grammars might have obligations to admit more poorer pupils.
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“If the government really cared about making the country fairer then decent pay for education workers would be its priority, rather than introducing further elitism into the system”.
