First new grammar school to be opened for 50 years under Tory council

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Amid a big increase in housebuilding around the town of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire County Council has revealed it is in the early stages of the planning process to introduce a new grammar school.

More than 21,000 homes are planned for the Aylesbury area over the next 20 years.

The council said this meant two new upper schools and one new grammar "might be required".

In Buckinghamshire, where pupils still take the 11-plus, there are already 13 grammar schools.

The move will reignite the controversy over selective education.

Conservative leader David Cameron caused a storm earlier this year when he denounced grammar schools, ruling out any more being built if he won power.

But he was forced into a U-turn after a backlash and would now allow areas which already have such schools to increase places.

Tory councillor Marion Clayton said: "I reject the idea that this goes against current Conservative policy.

"In June, the Conservative parliamentary education team confirmed that additional grammar school places might be permitted in growth areas which were considered 'fully selective'. Buckinghamshire was specifically mentioned as one of those."

She added: "Buckinghamshire parents enjoy our very successful selective school system which places all children in appropriate schools for their talents."

In a statement, the council said there "might be other ways of finding additional grammar school places rather than building new schools".

The county council knows it can expect stern opposition from the Labour Government, which wants to end selective education.

Labour revealed earlier this year that it was planning to make it easier for disgruntled parents to push for a local ballot for the closure of existing grammar schools.