Friends of Grammar Schools

Altrincham and Sale West MP Graham Brady has held an event at the House of Commons to support Grammar Schools and selective education.

Education Secretary Michael Gove, on the left, and Graham Brady MP at the House of Commons on April 17th.

Guests at the event included the Education Secretary Michael Gove, former Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, former leadership candidate David Davis and around one hundred MPs. They were joined by the heads and staff of Grammar Schools from Trafford; Lancaster; Ripon; Trafford; Lancaster; Warwickshire; Reading; Torquay; Kingston; Kent; Sutton; Ilford and Barnet.

Also at the event on April 17th were Andrew and Sarah Shilling, the parents from Sevenoaks in Kent, who successfully campaigned in favour of a new Grammar. Though new Grammar schools are prohibited by legislation, the new school in Sevenoaks will be a satellite of two existing schools. The Shillings began their campaign because there were not enough grammar school places locally. It’s the first new Grammar to be built in fifty years.

Graham Brady said:

“The event on 17th April was given great support – around 100 MPs attended to give their backing to excellent schools. We were particularly pleased to be joined by Mr. and Mrs. Shilling, who have persuaded Kent County Council to open the first new grammar school for fifty years. Parents in Trafford have given their overwhelming backing to selective education; it would be tremendous if parents in other areas were given the same choice for their children.”