Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst has praised the government’s announcement to launch a new fund to expand existing grammar school places.

£50 million will be made available for 2018 to 2019 which will give parents greater choice and give up to 16,000 children, from all backgrounds, access to a good school place.

This is seen as great news for Medway and Kent more widely, as our area has been a beacon for how grammar schools can provide for all, allow social mobility and offer fantastic futures for young people no matter of their family background.

The money will be available to existing grammars on the condition they can prove they will take in more children from lower income backgrounds.

Research shows pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds attain better results in selective schools, however, around 60% of grammar schools such as those in Medway already prioritise these children in their admissions.

On the announcement Kelly said,

“This announcement is wonderful news for Medway and will see the likes of Rochester, Chatham, Fort Pitt, Rainham Mark and Sir Joseph Williamson’s grammars all receive funding to expand places for local pupils from low income families.

“Grammars in Kent have worked and have done wonders for the education of many of our young people, and I am proud that family backgrounds have not been a restriction to learning.