This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/sep/12/justine-greening-faces-tory-dissent-over-grammar-school-plans
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Justine Greening faces Tory dissent over grammar school plans | Justine Greening faces Tory dissent over grammar school plans |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Justine Greening, the education secretary, has outlined the government’s proposals for driving up standards in English schools, but she received a sceptical reaction from some Conservatives about the most controversial part of the plan – expanding grammar schools. | Justine Greening, the education secretary, has outlined the government’s proposals for driving up standards in English schools, but she received a sceptical reaction from some Conservatives about the most controversial part of the plan – expanding grammar schools. |
| Given the Conservatives’ working Commons majority of 17, the fact that more than a dozen Tory backbenchers expressed concern as they questioned Greening highlighted the battle Theresa May’s government faces over the grammar schools proposals. | Given the Conservatives’ working Commons majority of 17, the fact that more than a dozen Tory backbenchers expressed concern as they questioned Greening highlighted the battle Theresa May’s government faces over the grammar schools proposals. |
| After the debate, Nicky Morgan, Greening’s predecessor as education secretary, told ITV News that it would be “difficult to support the proposals” as they stood on grammar schools, and predicted a tough Commons battle. “I think the government has a real challenge on getting this through,” she said. | |
| Another apparent critic was Michael Gove, also a former education secretary and onetime Tory leadership hopeful, who lavished high praise on Greening while offering a coded attack on the plans outlined in a government consultation paper. | Another apparent critic was Michael Gove, also a former education secretary and onetime Tory leadership hopeful, who lavished high praise on Greening while offering a coded attack on the plans outlined in a government consultation paper. |
| Hailing his successor’s “clear moral purpose” in seeking to raise school standards, Gove praised plans to encourage private schools and universities to offer more help to state schools. | Hailing his successor’s “clear moral purpose” in seeking to raise school standards, Gove praised plans to encourage private schools and universities to offer more help to state schools. |
| However, he was notably silent on grammars and ended his address by urging Greening to “be driven entirely by data and what works”, a pointed appeal given the majority of studies on grammar schools suggest they do not help social mobility – a finding reiterated on Tuesday in a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. | However, he was notably silent on grammars and ended his address by urging Greening to “be driven entirely by data and what works”, a pointed appeal given the majority of studies on grammar schools suggest they do not help social mobility – a finding reiterated on Tuesday in a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. |
| While much of the debate has been about the return of selection, this is just one of four elements in the green paper, which is seeking consultation responses until mid-December. | While much of the debate has been about the return of selection, this is just one of four elements in the green paper, which is seeking consultation responses until mid-December. |
| On grammars, it suggests repealing the 1998 law that stopped the creation of new grammar schools in England. The proposals would see the existing 163 grammars allowed to expand, new ones created, and existing non-selective schools able to change status. | On grammars, it suggests repealing the 1998 law that stopped the creation of new grammar schools in England. The proposals would see the existing 163 grammars allowed to expand, new ones created, and existing non-selective schools able to change status. |
| Greening told MPs there would be no return to the old system of grammars and secondary moderns, stressing the need for grammar schools to boost their intake of pupils from poorer backgrounds. A lack of such admissions is a regular criticism of the existing grammars. | Greening told MPs there would be no return to the old system of grammars and secondary moderns, stressing the need for grammar schools to boost their intake of pupils from poorer backgrounds. A lack of such admissions is a regular criticism of the existing grammars. |
| The consultation paper notes that just 2.5% of pupils in the current selective schools are eligible for free school meals, the standard measure for deprivation, compared with 31.2% for all state schools. | The consultation paper notes that just 2.5% of pupils in the current selective schools are eligible for free school meals, the standard measure for deprivation, compared with 31.2% for all state schools. |
| The government also wants to encourage private schools and universities to engage more with the state sector, for example by sponsoring schools, and remove the current 50% cap on children admitted on religious grounds at faith schools, which are oversubscribed. | The government also wants to encourage private schools and universities to engage more with the state sector, for example by sponsoring schools, and remove the current 50% cap on children admitted on religious grounds at faith schools, which are oversubscribed. |
| Greening presented the ideas as a drive to boost social mobility in a system where entry to state schools was skewed by higher house prices in catchment areas of better schools. | Greening presented the ideas as a drive to boost social mobility in a system where entry to state schools was skewed by higher house prices in catchment areas of better schools. |
| “This government is putting the interests of ordinary, working-class people first,” she said. “We want this country to be a truly meritocratic country, where what matters most is a person’s individual talent and their capacity for hard work.” | “This government is putting the interests of ordinary, working-class people first,” she said. “We want this country to be a truly meritocratic country, where what matters most is a person’s individual talent and their capacity for hard work.” |
| This received a robust reply from the shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, who taunted the government benches by quoting David Cameron’s views on the reintroduction of grammars as “delusional” and a “silly class war”. | This received a robust reply from the shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, who taunted the government benches by quoting David Cameron’s views on the reintroduction of grammars as “delusional” and a “silly class war”. |
| The Liberal Democrats also oppose new grammar schools and have threatened to block plans for new ones in the Lords. | The Liberal Democrats also oppose new grammar schools and have threatened to block plans for new ones in the Lords. |
| Greening stressed that nothing had been decided but that the green paper was the beginning of a much-needed debate. However, there are a number of dissenting Tory voices, among them Anna Soubry, Theresa Villiers, Claire Perry and Michelle Donelan. | Greening stressed that nothing had been decided but that the green paper was the beginning of a much-needed debate. However, there are a number of dissenting Tory voices, among them Anna Soubry, Theresa Villiers, Claire Perry and Michelle Donelan. |
| Despite the government’s relatively small majority, its chances are boosted by the fact the SNP is unlikely to take part in the vote, as it affects only English schools. The SNP has said it will examine the eventual legislation to see whether it might have any knock-on effect on Scottish budgets, but this is seen as unlikely. | Despite the government’s relatively small majority, its chances are boosted by the fact the SNP is unlikely to take part in the vote, as it affects only English schools. The SNP has said it will examine the eventual legislation to see whether it might have any knock-on effect on Scottish budgets, but this is seen as unlikely. |
| There is also strong dissent from teachers’ unions. Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, called the grammar schools proposal “a backward-looking policy”. He said: “Promoting grammar schools as the elite academic option instantly casts all other schools into the role of supporting actor.” | There is also strong dissent from teachers’ unions. Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, called the grammar schools proposal “a backward-looking policy”. He said: “Promoting grammar schools as the elite academic option instantly casts all other schools into the role of supporting actor.” |