By Edward Davies

The Government’s Green Paper on grammar schools arrived this week to a flurry of media activity.  But the case being made by the Prime Minister and Education Secretary is crystal clear – selection already exists and it is by house price.

It is time to make sure that schools are genuine engines of social mobility, giving all children, including the poorest, the best life chances.

The Prime Minister has made it very clear that this is not a return to the 1950s and the secondary modern and presented a plan that looks quite different from the grammar schools of the past.

Not only does the Green Paper lay out new rules and restrictions on how and by whom grammar schools can be set up, but it also proposes new concurrent and complimentary measures on independent schools, faith schools and universities.

For example, the Prime Minister has stressed that grammar schools must serve families who are only just coping: “If you’re eligible for free school meals, and your parents earn less than £16,000 a year, then there is extra help on offer.”

The Government understands there is no silver bullet to raising standards in education. But alongside faith schools, free schools, independent schools, academies, University Technical Colleges and others, this new vision of selective schools is another weapon in the armoury.

We recognise there is no one-size fits all approach to education and as much as possible it is important to cater to the needs of each student.

To this end we want to see better school readiness support, the Pupil Premium to reach those who need it most, more support from the best head teachers and improved transitions between education and work.

CSJ Report: Closing the Divide: Tackling educational inequality in England

By Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton

With a new Prime Minister, and her priority on social justice and life chances, family must be back at the top of the Government’s agenda.

Theresa May is clear that she is personally invested in social justice and is determined to ensure that, in her own words, “Britain is a country that works for everyone”.

In this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Theresa May responded encouragingly to my question on the need to strengthen family relationships to help improve the life chances of children, particularly in our poorest areas. She stated, “The stable family background that young people are brought up in is obviously important”.

Family breakdown touches all areas of society but the hardest impact can fall on the poorest and youngest. It can be a route into poverty and be particularly difficult for families already struggling financially to keep their heads above water.

The consequences of family breakdown for children in many instances involve limited educational achievement and employment chances, behavioural problems, low self-esteem, higher levels of early pregnancy, drinking and other drug use during adolescence.

It can also cause or exacerbate mental health problems. Studies show young people from single parent families have higher than average levels of mental health problems than those with two parents, and are more likely to be at a level of distress which requires clinical help. The children’s mental health charity in my constituency, Visyon, cannot now cope with all the requests for help they receive, and tell me that “virtually all” the children they counsel have mental health issues due to family relationship difficulties.

If we are to make inroads into the sadly epidemic level of family breakdown, it is vital that addressing this is prioritised through a cross-departmental approach by Government. This needs to be led by a Cabinet Minister, a Secretary of State for the Family, with responsibility and accountability for supporting and strengthening family relationships in our country today. This should be a key element of the Prime Minister’s social justice strategy.

Fiona Bruce is Conservative Member of Parliament for Congleton and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Strengthening Couple Relationships.

Former Cabinet Minister Iain Duncan Smith will resume the role of Chairman of the CSJ; a key element in a number of senior management changes at the CSJ.

Iain founded the CSJ in 2004 in response to seeing appalling levels of social breakdown. He created a poverty-fighting think tank, with a strong connection to grass-roots charities through the CSJ Alliance with the aim of developing policies that would see people lifted out of poverty and supported to reach their full potential.

Iain oversaw the ground-breaking Breakthrough Britain report which identified the five pathways to poverty – worklessness, family breakdown, education failure, addiction and serious personal debt. We have been at the forefront in developing policies to tackle these causes of poverty, many of which have been taken up successfully by Government.

As Secretary for Work and Pensions Iain successfully led a number of social reforms which have seen the welfare system transform to ensure work always pays and those who need support receive it.

Iain is looking forward to returning to the CSJ to continue championing the most disadvantaged.

Philippa Stroud is stepping down as Chief Executive of the CSJ to take up a similar role at the Legatum Institute, which has pioneered new ways of measuring global prosperity. Their close working relationship will magnify the impact of their poverty-fighting agendas.

The CSJ’s current Director of Programmes, Andy Cook, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive.

Andy’s background is in the charity sector having co-founded 2020, the Leicestershire-based charity that provides training and opportunities for disadvantaged children and young adults. When Andy left 2020 to join the CSJ, the charity had expanded across the midlands with centres open in Loughborough, Leicester, and Derby. He sits on the Board of the NCVO and is a judge of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Andy is thrilled with this appointment and is looking forward to leading the CSJ through this next phase.

Read the press release here.