HEAD teachers have criticised Theresa May for failing to recognise real issues in education after she reaffirmed plans to create more grammar schools if the Conservatives win Thursday’s election.

All of York’s nine secondary school head teachers say they are against a selective education system being introduced into the city.

Around £320million has been set aside to allow the Prime Minister to forge ahead with her flagship policy should she be successful in the General Election, however, it is not being backed by those at the top of the profession.

York Press:

David Ellis, head teacher at York High School and chairman of the York Secondary Head Teacher Group, said: “We feel that this is a distraction from the issues that are really facing schools and head teachers at the moment.

“It’s a red herring and a side show, and not realistic to the challenges we face.

“Grammar schools is the wrong answer to the wrong question.

“It’s quite unbelievable and in the 35 years I have been in teaching I have not heard such a ridiculous suggestion.

“There’s no evidence at all that brighter students are not making good progress in York schools.

“York is one of the highest performing authorities at GCSE and A Level and there is no evidence or need for this change.”

Mrs May plans to lift a ban on creating new grammar schools and has repeatedly explained how her plan would allow children from poorer backgrounds access the best education.

She has said it will be her “personal mission” to build a “school system that works for everyone.” However, head teachers feel this system ignores the real issues facing schools, which is a lack of funding. Schools across York are losing hundreds of thousands of pounds in funding up to 2020. Mr Ellis said: “In nearly every school in the city class sizes are rising and the number of teachers are being reduced, so if Theresa May is serious about wanting to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the biggest single thing we can do is get them into smaller classes. Theresa May’s argument is that it will help people from disadvantaged families, but it won’t. If they are behind in their reading and maths it is very hard at the age of 11 for them to catch up. There is no education research anywhere that grammar schools are able to bridge the gap.”