Grammar schools could return in 'social mobility' drive

Selective school ban could be lifted as soon as October, it has been reported

Posted by Stephanie Broad | August 08, 2016 | People, policy, politics

• #grammar-schools
• #government-policy
• #theresa-may
• #justine-greening
• #education
• #selective-education

In another policy shift this year, selection could be re-introduced to British education as the government reportedly plans a new generation of grammar schools. 

Grammar schools were stopped by Tony Blair in 1998 but Theresa May is said to be considering re-launching the concept at the Conservatives’ October conference, on the premise that they give brighter pupils better opportunities. 

Selective schools could be set up using the existing free-schools policy, adding to the choice of school types available. New education secretary Justine Greening has said that people needed to be ‘open minded’ as education was no longer a ‘binary’ world, but critics have said that the policy would take up too much of the DfE’s time.

Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron said he would ‘block’ attempts to create grammar schools and Angela Rayner, shadow education secretary, said Labour’s position ‘had not changed’. 

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