Members of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) – who met for their annual conference in Telford last week – said the policy, which is expected to be a central plank of the Conservatives’ election manifesto, would cause “irreparable damage” to the education system, and there was “no compelling evidence” that it increased social mobility.
Instead delegates, overwhelmingly approving a motion on the issue, called for greater funding for early years, claiming this was “the best driver to combat the effects of disadvantage”.
Rob Campbell, who proposed the motion, said heads should be opposed to more selection “not because of ideological dogma but because increased selection will not promote or improve social mobility, but will cause irreparable damage to education”.
He added that studies had shown that the least motivated students were those in a “very stratified education system” and that a selective system made children who did not get in feel “excluded”.
“The world in 2017 is not the world of the 1950s,” he added. “Those children who are lower-achieving and disadvantaged, and whose needs are greatest, will never get a look in.”
He said that existing grammar schools already took in fewer poor pupils that other schools.
Judy Shaw, who seconded the motion, said high-quality early years education narrowed the disadvantage gap for children at an early age.
She told delegates: “If we are serious about social mobility, 11 is just too late.”
Other speakers debating the motion said there was no evidence that either grammar schools increased pupil attainment and achievement, and that the government needed to ensure that children of all capabilities were being properly catered for in the education system.