"The Conservatives have not abandoned Grammar Schools"
Association Chairman, Brigita Amey, responds to concerned parents

Following an e-mail from a concerned RMGS student's parent, the Chairman of the Gillingham and Rainham Conservatives Association released the following statement.

"Yesterday, I read with great concern an e-mail about Grammar Schools from a worried parent of a local Grammar School. I should like to address the question on two fronts. First to clarify the Party's position and second to explain what our local Conservative Council are doing.

"The Party's policy on grammar schools is that they value highly the contribution which the 168 remaining grammar schools are making to education, and will continue to support them totally. There is no question of withdrawing support from grammar schools. However for those areas where there are no grammar schools, the thrust will be to improve the standards of education available to children in a variety of ways, including the creation of further City Academies where this is deemed to be the way forward.

"An important aspect of the Party's policy reflects the stance that parents often fit their own life around the need to support, encourage and help their children. The Party knows that bright children should be educated with other bright children so that they are challenged and stretched academically and they have included the need for what they describe as aggressive streaming within schools, so that those less able get the attention they need and bright ones are not held back by those who are either less able or have no will to learn.

"From what I have seen in the press, I can see that Mr Willett's interviews attracted a lot of criticism and, in some instances, a lot of hostility, but the position I have outlined above is taken from the Party policy and is confirmed in the press releases sent out by Conservative Central HQ (David Cameron's statement can be read here).

"Nevertheless, because of the concern that the interview caused Cllrs. Rodney Chambers (the Leader of the Coucil), Les Wicks ( the portfolio holder for Education) and Rehman Chishti (Medway Cabinet Member and Adviser to the Chairman of the Conservative Party) immediately arranged to meet all the Head Teachers of the grammar schools in the Meway Towns. At this meeting they reiterated their support for our grammar schools and confirmed that entry will be based on merit as it is at present. They stressed their committment to raising standards of numeracy and literacy in both primary and secondary schools, promoting apprenticeship schemes for those best suited to practical skill based employment, and ensuring that all secondary schools will be able to offer a range of specialisms, which will be reflected in their timetables, curricula and most important, staffing.

"The Conservatives both nationally and locally have not abandoned Grammar Schools and will continue to develop education policies which will enable our young people to get the best education they can commensurate with their own ability and aspirations. This is completely different to policies of the other two main parties and the very real devaluation of educational standards and opportunities which we have suffered during the last 10 years of Labour government."