Child poverty charity welcomes Conservatives’ rejection of grammar schools

Commenting on today’s announcement by Conservative Shadow Education Secretary, David Willetts, that the party has abandoned its commitment to increasing grammar schools, Child Poverty Action Group’s Head of Policy, Paul Dornan, said:

“We strongly welcome this important move that recognises the failure of grammar schools to help the majority of disadvantaged children.

“Maintaining a commitment to a discredited schooling system that marks children as failures at 11 years old would be absurd and completely at odds with the Conservatives’ aspiration to end poverty for all children by 2020, as grammar schools only help the few.

“Not only should every child have the right to an education that can fully develop his or her potential, but doing so is crucial to eradicating child poverty.  Those who leave school with no qualifications face a very high risk of poverty. We must make sure that more of tomorrow’s parents have the skills needed to access work that will keep their own children free from poverty. Only inclusive schooling that targets resources to individual need can achieve this.”

Notes to Editors

• Child Poverty Action Group is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty.

For further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
tnichols@cpag.org.uk