Tories reject grammar schools

The Conservatives say they will no longer support grammar schools because they are unfair to poorer families.

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Margaret Thatcher, Ted Heath, John Major - not only grammar school-educated themselves, but staunch supporters of academic selection.

At the last election Michael Howard promised they would thrive. But today the Conservatives, led by Eton-educated David Cameron, turned their back on grammars, claiming that selecting children at 11 is unfair to poorer families.

Their education spokesman, David Willetts, said existing grammars would not close. But the party will encourage more academy schools as a better way of promoting gifted poorer pupils. However, the policy change has upset some of the party's traditional supporters.

For years - generations, even - grammar schools have been the central plank in Conservative education policy.

The basic philosophy has been that selection raises standards.

The freedom to choose grammar schools came up again in the latest leadership contest.

But now all that has been abandoned. According to new Conservative ideology, grammar schools deepen the divisions between rich and poor.

But David Cameron risks alienating his core support here. In a recent survey of grassroots Conservatives, 73 per cent said they back selection.

The Conservative front bench has surprised many of its own MPs by supporting Labour's city academy scheme. The scheme has proved controversial because private companies, organisations and religious groups can gain some control of schools with a £2 million investment.

In fact the Conservatives seem more enthusiastic about Labour's policy than the government itself. Education Secretary Alan Johnson says he now wants to limit the number of city academies.

Despite the private investment, each city academy costs the government about £25 million. Yet the Conservatives claim they will open more academies than Labour under Gordon Brown.

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