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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| First 'new' grammar school in 50 years | First 'new' grammar school in 50 years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| England is to get its first "new" grammar school for five decades after it was agreed an existing school could build an "annexe" several miles away. | England is to get its first "new" grammar school for five decades after it was agreed an existing school could build an "annexe" several miles away. |
| Weald of Kent school in Tonbridge will open a girls' annexe in Sevenoaks, Kent, with 450 places, allocated by academic selection - side stepping a ban on opening new grammar schools. | Weald of Kent school in Tonbridge will open a girls' annexe in Sevenoaks, Kent, with 450 places, allocated by academic selection - side stepping a ban on opening new grammar schools. |
| Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is expected to confirm the plan later. | Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is expected to confirm the plan later. |
| Labour described the decision as a "hugely backward step". | Labour described the decision as a "hugely backward step". |
| The school is due to open in September 2017, after a long campaign by supporters of a grammar school to get the backing of ministers. | The school is due to open in September 2017, after a long campaign by supporters of a grammar school to get the backing of ministers. |
| Labour passed laws in 1998 banning the creation of new grammars - which are selective state schools - but existing schools are allowed to expand if there is sufficient demand. | Labour passed laws in 1998 banning the creation of new grammars - which are selective state schools - but existing schools are allowed to expand if there is sufficient demand. |
| A previous plan for such an extension of the Weald of Kent Grammar School was turned down. Ministers were not persuaded that it was a satellite of an existing school rather than the creation of a new institution. | A previous plan for such an extension of the Weald of Kent Grammar School was turned down. Ministers were not persuaded that it was a satellite of an existing school rather than the creation of a new institution. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| Sean Coughlan, BBC education correspondent | Sean Coughlan, BBC education correspondent |
| This will be seen as a symbolic reversing of the tide, after many decades in which grammar schools were seen as a receding emblem of the educational past, rather than an expanding destination for the future. | This will be seen as a symbolic reversing of the tide, after many decades in which grammar schools were seen as a receding emblem of the educational past, rather than an expanding destination for the future. |
| While this decision will be warmly welcomed by traditionalists in the Conservatives' ranks, it will be a double-edged sword for the government. Their education reforms, promoting academies and free schools, have made a prime virtue of raising standards for all, rather than focusing on the academically most able. That policy sits uneasily beside a rejuvenated 11-plus exam. | While this decision will be warmly welcomed by traditionalists in the Conservatives' ranks, it will be a double-edged sword for the government. Their education reforms, promoting academies and free schools, have made a prime virtue of raising standards for all, rather than focusing on the academically most able. That policy sits uneasily beside a rejuvenated 11-plus exam. |
| When David Cameron had the shadow education brief for the Conservatives, one of his clearest steps was to distance himself from the ideological trench warfare of the pro and anti-grammar campaigners. | When David Cameron had the shadow education brief for the Conservatives, one of his clearest steps was to distance himself from the ideological trench warfare of the pro and anti-grammar campaigners. |
| Ministers won't want the return of grammars to drown out their education policy, so it's likely they will want to play down suggestions that this decision could open the floodgates to a wave of such satellite selective schools. | Ministers won't want the return of grammars to drown out their education policy, so it's likely they will want to play down suggestions that this decision could open the floodgates to a wave of such satellite selective schools. |
| Andrew Shilling, of the Sevenoaks Grammar School Campaign, said the decision was a "victory for parent power". | Andrew Shilling, of the Sevenoaks Grammar School Campaign, said the decision was a "victory for parent power". |
| "Today's news is overdue recognition of the fact that a Sevenoaks grammar school is supported by the vast majority of local parents." | "Today's news is overdue recognition of the fact that a Sevenoaks grammar school is supported by the vast majority of local parents." |
| He said 1,100 Sevenoaks children currently travel to grammar schools in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells - a round trip of up to 25 miles and two hours. | He said 1,100 Sevenoaks children currently travel to grammar schools in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells - a round trip of up to 25 miles and two hours. |
| The campaign is calling for the scrapping of legislation barring new grammar schools, so that boys as well as girls could attend the school on the new site in Sevenoaks. | The campaign is calling for the scrapping of legislation barring new grammar schools, so that boys as well as girls could attend the school on the new site in Sevenoaks. |
| Planning permission | Planning permission |
| Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, told the newspaper the school had taken great effort to give detailed information on how it would be one school, not two schools. | Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, told the newspaper the school had taken great effort to give detailed information on how it would be one school, not two schools. |
| "If you can't expand on-site you have to expand elsewhere, and that's all we have done in this case." | "If you can't expand on-site you have to expand elsewhere, and that's all we have done in this case." |
| Planning permission for the Sevenoaks grammar building has already been granted. | Planning permission for the Sevenoaks grammar building has already been granted. |
| There will now be an expectation that other grammar schools could seek to open branches in other towns. | There will now be an expectation that other grammar schools could seek to open branches in other towns. |
| There are 163 remaining grammar schools in England, with admissions decided by the 11-plus test. | There are 163 remaining grammar schools in England, with admissions decided by the 11-plus test. |
| There has been a strong campaign by some Conservative MPs for greater availability of grammar schools, arguing that they drive social mobility by providing high-achieving schools for bright pupils, regardless of where they live or family income. | There has been a strong campaign by some Conservative MPs for greater availability of grammar schools, arguing that they drive social mobility by providing high-achieving schools for bright pupils, regardless of where they live or family income. |
| Grammar school supporters will see this as a symbolic boost for a type of school that was phased out in most parts of England more than 40 years ago. | Grammar school supporters will see this as a symbolic boost for a type of school that was phased out in most parts of England more than 40 years ago. |
| Grammar schools | |
| But opponents of selective education were highly critical. | But opponents of selective education were highly critical. |
| Melissa Benn, of Comprehensive Future, said that academic selection at the age of 11 was "unfair, unnecessary and divisive". | Melissa Benn, of Comprehensive Future, said that academic selection at the age of 11 was "unfair, unnecessary and divisive". |
| Ms Benn said it was "absurd" to suggest that the school would be an annexe, rather than a wholly new school, adding the decision could have "far reaching consequences". | Ms Benn said it was "absurd" to suggest that the school would be an annexe, rather than a wholly new school, adding the decision could have "far reaching consequences". |
| The Sutton Trust, which promotes social mobility, highlighted research that less than 3% of pupils in grammar schools were entitled to free meals, compared with an average of 18% in the areas they serve. | |
| Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell claimed grammar schools do not improve social mobility. | Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell claimed grammar schools do not improve social mobility. |
| "They do not increase equality of opportunity, they make it worse. Tiny numbers of children from disadvantaged backgrounds pass their tests because they are the preserve of the privately tutored," she said. | "They do not increase equality of opportunity, they make it worse. Tiny numbers of children from disadvantaged backgrounds pass their tests because they are the preserve of the privately tutored," she said. |
| "That's why Ofsted and educational experts are against their expansion. People have a romantic view of what the grammar school system is like but its just not the same any more." | "That's why Ofsted and educational experts are against their expansion. People have a romantic view of what the grammar school system is like but its just not the same any more." |