‘Grammars should prove they deserve to expand’ says Robert Halforn
Grammar schools should not be given money to expand until they have admitted more pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, Robert Halforn has said.
Robert Halfon, who chairs the Commons Education Select Committee, this week raised concerns about the £200 million the government announced in May to allow existing grammar schools to expand.
Speaking in a Commons debate that he called on the Department for Education’s spending, he said: “I’m not against grammar schools. I believe in parental choice, but I am not sure why spending up to £200 million over the next few years expanding grammar schools is more important than spending that £200 million on looking after the most vulnerable pupils.
“You could look after hundreds of thousands of vulnerable pupils with tuition for 12 weeks a year and really transform their life opportunities.”
His Conservative colleague John Redwood noted that the expansion of grammar schools is designed to “particularly target those from disadvantaged backgrounds”.
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