Grammars won’t improve social mobility for ‘the vast majority’, ASCL warns
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has warned that plans to lift the ban on opening new grammar schools in England ‘may improve social mobility for a very small number of disadvantaged children, but not for the vast majority’.
Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference, Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the ASCL, stressed that the country needs education solutions ‘which help the many, not the few’.
Launching an attack on the proposed return to selection, Trobe suggested the move was based on ‘nostalgia’ and claimed it ‘makes no sense’ as modern education policy.
He said: “Today, we need as many people as possible to have the high-order knowledge and skills that enable us to compete on a world stage, not an educated elite.
“The answer is to ensure that as many children as possible have access to an academically rigorous curriculum which gives them a sound platform on which to base their future educational and career choices.”
Trobe also criticised the English Baccalaureate, warning that it ‘covers too narrow a range of subjects and contains too little choice’, which is damaging creative and technical subjects that are ‘of crucial importance to our economy’.
Read moreLatest News
09/01/2026 - 10:13
The measure, added to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, delivers on the commitment made in the government’s manifesto to bring multi academy trusts into the inspection system.
08/01/2026 - 10:30
The government is launching a new app allowing students to view their GCSE results on their phones for the first time from this summer.
08/01/2026 - 09:45
Education Business LIVE has announced that Professor Samantha Twiselton OBE of Sheffield Hallam University will speak at the event in March 2026, delivering two thought-provoking sessions focused on initial teacher training and SEND provision.
07/01/2026 - 10:10
Solve for Tomorrow is a free, curriculum-linked programme which is mapped to Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6, helping teachers embed careers education without adding to workload.
06/01/2026 - 10:24
London's universal free school meals programme has not led to improvements in pupil attainment during its first year, but has eased financial pressure and reduced stress for families.
