Warwickshire Councillors oppose new grammar schools

The motion to oppose the opening of new grammar schools in Warwickshire was passed by 28 votes to 25 at a Warwickshire County Council meeting in late September.

The proposal, led by Labour representatives, aims to block the Prime Minister’s bid to spend £50m a year on expanding grammar schools, which will overturn an 18 year ban.

The government reform also allows all state schools to apply for academic selection. Selective schools are also required to meet certain conditions, such as accepting a quota of lower-income pupils or supporting other non-selective schools.

Intakes will be available at 11, 14 and 16, whilst public schools will be required to support state schools in exchange for keeping their status as a charity.

Catholic schools will be able to choose 100% of new pupils on the basis of their faith, as opposed to the 50% currently in practice.

Prime Minister Theresa May has faced considerable cross-party backlash, with opponents suggesting the system divides children at a young age and detracts from the improvement of all state-funded schools, by drawing focus from the country’s most disadvantaged areas.

Mrs May argues the initiative undermines the pre-existing selection by wealth, and increases opportunities for young people.

The Conservative councillors formed the majority opposition to the motion, with council leader Izzi Seccombe saying that it will increase choice for parents as well as raising standards further in schools.

Coventry education councillor Kevin Maton said: “(grammar school expansion is an) unnecessary throwback from the past: a two-tier system that is unfit to meet the needs of 21st century Coventry”.

Commenting on the push for selective schooling, Professor of Arts and Culture Jo Trosdale said: “(it is) detrimental to young people,” in its reinforcement of socio-economic and socio-cultural divides.

Second-year English Literature student, Sophie Nelson, commented: “Without grammar schools, the system just switches from academic elitism to wealth-based elitism, which is far worse.”