19 December 2016

The Prime Minister has said that she wants to build a country that works for everyone – and for me that starts with our schools.

Providing a good school place for every child is an essential part of this Government’s vision for Britain, with schools that can cater for every child’s talents, abilities and needs.

Grammar schools are popular with parents, and provide stretching education for the most academically able, regardless of their background. We know that grammar schools can help close the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their better off classmates. But since 1998 there has been a ban on opening new, selective state schools. This makes it harder to get the good new school places we need, and harder for children whose parents cannot afford to move house or go private to benefit from the most stretching academic education.

So we will lift the ban on new grammar schools and allow them to open where parents want them.We will have strict conditions to make sure they improve the education of pupils in every other part of the system. And we will encourage more people, schools and institutions with something to offer, to come forward and help deliver more good school places.

This is just the start of our vision to build an education system that works for everyone and you can be a part of it by showing your support today.

Thank you for your support.

Justine Greening
Secretary of State for Education
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