Theresa May hits back at ex-education minister who claims grammar school plans will fail poorer kids
Lord Willetts yesterday blasted the PM's plans to open new grammar schools - warning that country's with best education don't have selective systems
THERESA May last night defended her plans for new grammar schools, which were blasted by an ex-Tory education minister.
Lord Willetts warned the PM that pushy middle-class families will squeeze poor children out of the planned new grammar schools.
The former Conservative MP said places at the schools “tend to be captured by the better-informed, more affluent parents” — and fail poorer children.
He said countries such as Finland and China who have the best-performing education systems do not have selection.
But the PM replied insisting that the UK already has “selection by house price” as rich families move to areas with the best schools.
She claimed that an “element of selection” in a new “21st century education system” would help poorer youngsters too.
Sources at the meeting of influential Conservative MPs known as the 1922 Committee said her first major policy announcement was cheered.
The PM said some of 500 planned free schools could be grammars.
They would be “inclusive and not exclusive”.
And plans for their return did not amount to “going back to the past” - as was claimed by schools inspection supremo Sir Michael Wilshaw.
related stories
A source said: “She said she didn’t want a situation where parents wanted a selective school only to be told they couldn’t have one.”
New grammars were outlawed in 1998 by then Labour PM Tony Blair, who argued all schools should cater for all.
Mrs May’s plans to end the ban, accidentally leaked on Tuesday, have proved controversial.
Critics argue rich parents will employ tutors to ensure their children pass the entrance exams.