Grammar schools will ‘turbo-charge social mobility’, says Nick Gibb

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb has claimed plans to open new grammar schools will ‘turbo-charge social mobility’ in England.

Speaking at the Academy Ambassadors conference, Gibb praised the ‘Schools that work for everyone’ consultation and said that plans to open new selective schools and allow existing schools to become selective would ‘widen choice’ and bring ‘more flexibility’ to England’s education system.

Gibb also stressed that proposals to bring back grammars would ‘complement our wider approach to school improvement’ and specifically focussed on the government’s academy programme, which was the central part of the education reform under former Prime Minister David Cameron.

A central part of his speech was idea of an ‘academic curriculum’ and the Ebacc accountability measure and Gibb claimed that the proposals set out in the government’s consultation will help more pupils to ‘flourish academically - irrespective of background’.

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