I was pleased to see in Phillip Hammond’s first budget, a potential new fund to increase the amount of selective secondary schools in the UK. I attended Latymer School, a selective secondary school in Edmonton, North London, where I spent many happy, busy days, learning and growing into who I feel I have become today. Expectations were high from strict rules on uniform, to a high level of academic expectations which were nurtured during my time there. I was lucky to get there on a scholarship.

When I speak to students now, I try to inspire them to take on a similar attitude and push themselves to their full potential. Of course, this means different things for different people and rightly so, but the important thing is to always to allow students the time and the opportunities they need to develop as young adults, academically and socially.

I firmly believe there are benefits to grammar schools but it should never be ‘grammar’ or ‘others’ or ‘them’ and ‘us’. It has to be about allowing the free flow of students between whatever institution, regardless of background, they need in order to let them achieve their full potential. New grammars should be based in areas where academic achievement is below par and tasked in developing relations with local schools and engaging with all students.

You can read my full article about grammar schools and moving forward with the Prime Minister’s idea behind ending the ban on creating new grammar schools, in my article published in Conservative Home, by clicking here.

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