80% of headteachers ‘are against Theresa May’s plans for revolutionary grammar schools’
FOUR out of five headteachers are against new grammar schools, according to a new poll.
The joint survey of 2,500 heads found more than 80 per cent oppose Theresa May’s revolutionary plans to overhaul the education system by opening new grammars.
And an overwhelming 79 per cent believe there is no evidence to support increasing selection in education.
The teachers and heads don’t believe tests taken at age 11 can measure academic potential, according to the research.
Most polled said they believed there was no evidence to back up the Prime Minister’s controversial policy.
Mrs May pledged to make Britain “the great meritocracy of the world” as she announced plans to lift the decades old ban on new grammars.
But the proposals are deeply divisive and face a rocky passage through Parliament.
Educating Rita actress Julie Walters yesterday branded grammars “hugely divisive and dreadful” saying failing the 11 plus was like “putting people on the scrapheap” and was a “terrible thing to do”.
And War Horse author Michael Morpurgo branded them “quite deeply stupid”, creating huge numbers of children who will “fail, and fail young”.
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The study, conducted by NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers), the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and charity Teach First.
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “Increasing the number of grammar schools will lower standards and restrict opportunity.
“We cannot afford such an elitist policy in the 21st century - as many students as possible need a high quality academic education. This is a terrible distraction from the issues that matter most.”
Malcolm Trobe, interim General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added: “We don’t need more selection in the education system. What schools desperately need is enough teachers and enough funding, both of which are in critically short supply.
The survey was carried out for campaign group the Fair Education Alliance, which has launched a petition calling for the grammar ban to be kept in place.
Founder Brett Wigdortz said: “We are united in our desire to improve social mobility, but it’s clear we must use proven policies to achieve this.
“We must aim to replicate this for every child, not selecting only a few to be supported to succeed, whilst leaving the majority behind.”