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Greening pledges 'meritocratic' grammars Greening pledges 'meritocratic' grammars
(35 minutes later)
A new generation of grammar schools will improve access to good schools, the education secretary told MPs.A new generation of grammar schools will improve access to good schools, the education secretary told MPs.
Justine Greening said they would help families who could not afford to buy houses in the catchment areas of good schools.Justine Greening said they would help families who could not afford to buy houses in the catchment areas of good schools.
Ms Greening said the proposals were intended to create a "truly meritocratic" education system.Ms Greening said the proposals were intended to create a "truly meritocratic" education system.
But Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: "Stop your silly class war."But Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: "Stop your silly class war."
The plans for expanding selection in schools, announced by the prime minister last week, have been formally presented to Parliament.The plans for expanding selection in schools, announced by the prime minister last week, have been formally presented to Parliament.
'Meritocratic' or 'segregation''Meritocratic' or 'segregation'
Ms Greening said the aim was to increase the number of good school places and to make sure there is a school that "works for everyone, not just the privileged few".Ms Greening said the aim was to increase the number of good school places and to make sure there is a school that "works for everyone, not just the privileged few".
Ms Rayner said the new mantra of the Conservative party should be "segregation, segregation, segregation".Ms Rayner said the new mantra of the Conservative party should be "segregation, segregation, segregation".
And she asked the education secretary to explain who would decide which non-selective schools should be able to convert to become selective.And she asked the education secretary to explain who would decide which non-selective schools should be able to convert to become selective.
The plans were challenged by former education secretary Nicky Morgan who asked how creating more grammar schools would help pupils who were already underachieving or in schools that were underperforming.The plans were challenged by former education secretary Nicky Morgan who asked how creating more grammar schools would help pupils who were already underachieving or in schools that were underperforming.
Mrs Morgan's own flagship education policy - forcing all schools to become academies - was sunk this year by a backbench rebellion by Conservative MPs.
But another former education secretary, Michael Gove, gave his backing to the plans.But another former education secretary, Michael Gove, gave his backing to the plans.
Another former Conservative education secretary, Ken Clarke, cautioned on the impact on those pupils who did not get into a grammar school and urged that it should not "distract from raising standards".Another former Conservative education secretary, Ken Clarke, cautioned on the impact on those pupils who did not get into a grammar school and urged that it should not "distract from raising standards".
The prime minister has said that the expansion of existing grammars and the opening of new selective schools will be accompanied by quotas to ensure that poorer pupils are not excluded. Former shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said the school system should be based on examples of success, such as London, which had many successful schools without selection.
But teachers' leaders and opposition parties have argued that increasing selection will undermine the standard of education available to the majority of pupils, who would not get a place in a grammar school. Conservative backbencher Keith Simpson said he was uncertain about putting an emphasis on grammars, rather than focusing on the achievement of mainstream schools.
There were also doubts raised by Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary, who said that increasing academic selection would be at "best a distraction" and risked "undermining six years of progressive education reform". Conservative Edward Leigh backed the government plans, saying it was "perverse" not to allow good grammars to be able to take more pupils.
Mrs Morgan's own flagship education policy - forcing all schools to become academies - was sunk this year by a backbench rebellion by Conservative MPs. And he supported the removal of the cap on faith group places in free schools - saying that it had been a mistake from the outset.
And there will be attention paid as to whether Mrs May's government could face a revolt by her own MPs.
Neil Carmichael, chair of the education select committee, seems to have become more sympathetic to the proposals, saying he was now "more content" after being initially not "impressed".
The government's ability to win a vote on grammars will also be affected by whether the Scottish National Party votes on this English issue.The government's ability to win a vote on grammars will also be affected by whether the Scottish National Party votes on this English issue.
The party has kept its options open so far, saying: "We will closely examine any proposals brought to the House of Commons to identify any potential impact on Scotland's budget."The party has kept its options open so far, saying: "We will closely examine any proposals brought to the House of Commons to identify any potential impact on Scotland's budget."
But Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has written a warning to Conservative MPs saying that the proposals for grammars could be as damaging to them as tuition fees were to his own party.But Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has written a warning to Conservative MPs saying that the proposals for grammars could be as damaging to them as tuition fees were to his own party.
He said more admissions tests would not be popular with voters, who could find their children without places in a school which had become selective.He said more admissions tests would not be popular with voters, who could find their children without places in a school which had become selective.
Kevin Courtney, leader of the National Union of Teachers, said: "This is a backward-looking policy. Promoting grammar schools as the elite academic option instantly casts all other schools into the role of supporting actor."
A report published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies concludes that grammars can "stretch the brightest pupils, but seem likely to come at the cost of increasing inequality".A report published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies concludes that grammars can "stretch the brightest pupils, but seem likely to come at the cost of increasing inequality".
The think-tank study argues that grammars do well for those who get places, but those who do not get in are likely to do "worse than they would have done in a comprehensive system".The think-tank study argues that grammars do well for those who get places, but those who do not get in are likely to do "worse than they would have done in a comprehensive system".
Referring to the U-turn made by his party over pledges not to increase tuition fees, Mr Farron said: "As a Liberal Democrat, I speak from experience when I say that letting people down on education can be very, very damaging." The education proposals include:
The education proposals so far announced include: