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Grammar schools: PM seeks to ensure places for poorer pupils Grammars: New wave of schools with places for poor announced
(about 3 hours later)
The expansion of grammar schools in England will be accompanied by conditions requiring them to take a proportion of children from low-income families, the prime minister will say. Plans for a new wave of grammars and new selective schools which have to take a proportion of poor pupils are being set out by the prime minister.
Theresa May will also suggest allowing more faith groups to open free schools. Theresa May will unveil plans allowing existing grammars in England to expand, new ones to open and some schools to select pupils by ability.
Universities will be told they might have to sponsor an academy if they want to increase tuition fees. The ban on new selective schools has been in place too long, she will say, and has held bright poor children back.
Mrs May will say a "belief in social mobility" drives the plans, but Labour says they will "entrench inequality". Sir Michael Wilshaw said the changes would undo years of progress.
In a major policy speech on meritocracy, the prime minister will say: "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. Labour says the plans will "entrench inequality".
In a major speech, the prime minister will say: "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.
"The truth is that we already have selection in our school system - and it's selection by house price, selection by wealth. That is simply unfair.""The truth is that we already have selection in our school system - and it's selection by house price, selection by wealth. That is simply unfair."
The speech, calling for an end to the current ban on opening new grammar schools, will address concerns that selective schools can have too few poorer pupils. The speech, announcing an end to the current ban on opening new grammars introduced by Labour in 1998, will address concerns that selective schools can have too few poorer pupils.
The Sutton Trust education charity has said that only 3% of grammar school entrants are eligible for free school meals - compared with a national average of around 14%. Just 3% of grammar school entrants are eligible for free school meals, compared to the national average of around 14%, research suggests.
As well as opening new grammar schools and expanding those already running, there is the controversial suggestion that "in some circumstances" schools which are now non-selective could become selective. It is thought that an Act of Parliament would be needed for the ban to be lifted on new selective schools opening, but a change in the law may not be required for grammar schools to expand.
Mrs May will announce a consultation on ways to make new and expanding grammar schools more inclusive - so that access will not be limited to families who can "pay for tuition to pass the test". A consultation is to be held on ways to make new and expanding grammar schools more inclusive - so that places are not limited to families who can "pay for tuition to pass the test".
This could mean new grammars might have to:This could mean new grammars might have to:
The government also wants to raise the current maximum level of university tuition fee to £9,250 per year - but Mrs May's speech will suggest that this increase will come with the condition of setting up a new school or sponsoring an underperforming school. The government also wants to raise the current maximum level of university tuition fees to £9,250 per year - but Mrs May's speech will suggest that this increase will come with the condition of setting up a new school or sponsoring an underperforming school.
The University of Birmingham has already set up a free school, with four separate catchment areas in the city, designed to create a mixed intake. The chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, says the idea that poor children would benefit from a return of grammar schools was "tosh" and "nonsense".
The speech will highlight that there are 1.25 million pupils in failing schools and Mrs May will argue that access to good schools is the key to social mobility and that for too many "a good school place remains out of reach". He told the BBC: "My fear is by moving to a grammar and secondary modern system - because, let's face it, that's what well have if you divide at 11 - we will put the clock back, and the progress we have made over the past 10 to 15 years will slow."
This year saw the biggest ever annual fall in GCSE results. Education Secretary Justine Greening told the BBC the government wanted to create 21st Century grammar schools that would "turbo charge" the education and prospects of disadvantaged children.
Chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has previously said the idea that poor children would benefit from a return of grammar schools was "tosh" and "nonsense" and a return to selection at age 11 would be a "profoundly retrograde step". The conditions under which new grammar schools can open would include schools taking "a greater proportion of pupils from those lower income households" and would open in areas where "there are not enough good schools".
He told the BBC's Radio 4's Today programme on Friday that there has been a "turnaround" in state education, "and we don't want to put that at risk". This was not about returning to secondary moderns, she said, but about giving parents more choice.
He added: "Academies, free schools, that's a Conservative programme. Let it work.
"Most of those academies, all of them as far as I'm aware - and free schools - are all-ability schools. And they are delivering better results, the best results that we've ever seen in this country.
"My concern is that by going backwards we will throw a spanner in the works and that momentum will be halted."
'Regressive move''Regressive move'
Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: "However you package this up, the Tory government are bringing back selection to the UK education system.
"By enshrining selection into our education system the prime minister is wilfully ignoring the overwhelming evidence that selection at 11 leads to a more unequal country."
Kevin Courtney, leader of the National Union of Teachers, said opening new grammars was a "regressive move and a distraction from the real problems" of funding pressures and teacher shortages.Kevin Courtney, leader of the National Union of Teachers, said opening new grammars was a "regressive move and a distraction from the real problems" of funding pressures and teacher shortages.
There will also be a proposal for changes to the rules governing how religious groups can open free schools.There will also be a proposal for changes to the rules governing how religious groups can open free schools.
At present faith groups can only allocate 50% of places to members of their community - but there were calls earlier this year for this limit to be scrapped.
It has been seen in particular as a barrier to Catholic free schools being opened.It has been seen in particular as a barrier to Catholic free schools being opened.
A Downing Street source said that this cap on faith schools had "prevented new Catholic schools from opening, which are more successful, more popular and more ethnically diverse than other types of state school".
"We're going to change the rule, so we can allow new Catholic schools to open, while making faith schools of all kinds do more to make sure their pupils integrate with children of other backgrounds."
A spokeswoman for the Catholic Education Service welcomed the move, saying that it would help to meet the "parental demand for thousands of new Catholic school places across the country".
The British Humanist Association said the change sent a "very damaging message: that an integrated society is not worth striving for".
'Selection' concerns
Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "If the Conservatives care about our children's education they should reverse their cuts to school budgets.Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "If the Conservatives care about our children's education they should reverse their cuts to school budgets.
"We need to improve all schools not just let some become grammars. Too many pupils are let down by a divisive system that doesn't work." "We need to improve all schools, not just let some become grammars.
Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: "Theresa May talks about standing up for the majority but her actions reveal the opposite: working for the few at the expense of the many. "Too many pupils are let down by a divisive system that doesn't work."
"However you package this up, the Tory government are bringing back selection to the UK education system.
"By enshrining selection into our education system the prime minister is wilfully ignoring the overwhelming evidence that selection at 11 leads to a more unequal country."