Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on grammar schools; and if he will make a statement.

The Government wants to ensure all pupils can benefit from a high quality education. The Department is committed to supporting all good and outstanding schools, including selective schools that wish to expand, particularly where there is demand for more good school places and it can be demonstrated that the change represents the best local solution and value for money. However, the legislative ban on opening new grammar schools remains in place.

The Department is continuing to work with the grammar schools sector to ensure that more academically able children from low-income backgrounds can secure a place at selective schools, and to encourage selective schools to work with other local schools to help improve standards locally.