Emergency Motion - Young People and Grammar Schools

No amendments

Conference notes with great concern:

1. That the current Government is considering bringing back grammar schools.
2. That the Government has confirmed that such reforms could include allowing Free Schools to introduce academic selection.
3. The revelation that the Government will first seek to expand grammar schools by the backdoor through exploiting loopholes in existing legislation.
4. That support is being encouraged for the premature selection and separation of young people according to a crudely measured academic ability.

Conference believes:

1. In the potential of all our young people to develop themselves and to contribute to society and our economy.
2. That young people have varied and complex aptitudes and abilities and develop at different rates.
3. c) That young people should be treated as individuals who can learn to socialise and respect differences.

Conference:

1. Reiterates our opposition to the expansion of grammar schools.
2. Calls on the government to abandon the selection by ability and social separation of young people, into different schools.
3. Rejects any change to free schools to enable them to select on the basis of academic ability.
4. Calls on the Government to respect the spirit of existing legislation on Grammar Schools and not seek to use loopholes within it to create effectively new grammar schools under the pre-text of expansion.
5. Calls on the government to do more to cater for all young people according to individual aptitudes and abilities.