Grammar schools could be expanded, says minister

THE Government is “seriously” looking at the expansion of grammar schools, the Education Secretary has said.

Kit Malthouse, who took over as Education Secretary this month, reaffirmed Liz Truss’s leadership campaign commitment to explore lifting a 24-year ban on establishing new selective schools.

“The PM made it clear during [the] leadership contest that she wanted to see work on grammar schools, fundamentally because there is a desire from parents in some parts of the country to have them,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“We’re about parental choice, everyone needs to be able to make a choice for their kids. So we’re looking at that policy seriously and looking at areas that have it or indeed grammar schools that want to expand is something she has asked us to do.”

The Department for Education is understood to be preparing to research whether there is enough support for more selective schools around the country before pushing ahead with the proposal. Legislation would be needed to reverse New Labour’s 1998 ban on new selective schools, which could include an amendment to the Government’s Schools Bill, or dedicated legislation.