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Anti-grammar school campaigners say they may take legal action to block a bid for new “satellite” schools in east Kent.
Barton Court Grammar school in Canterbury and Faversham’s Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School (QEGS) have both launched public consultations this week on the potential for a satellite campus which would help meet growing demand for secondary school places.
They both intend to submit an application to the Department for Education’s Selective School Expansion Fund at the end of April.
The schools say there is growing demand for places and many pupils currently face long journeys to get to school.
Under the government’s scheme, both would be expected to show how they will have an admissions policy which will give greater encouragement to poorer brighter pupils.
Campaigners say the proposals amount to an attempt to create entirely new grammars rather than expand existing ones.
The government recently announced a second £50m fund for grammar school expansions with applications expected to show how they would improve social mobility.
Dr Nuala Burgess, chair of Comprehensive Future, said: “The legal position is very clear - new grammar schools are illegal.
"It’s a shocking use of education funding to try to bypass the law and build a new grammar school via the backdoor.
"There is no democratic mandate for the creation of new selective schools.
"If this goes ahead, there’s nothing to stop the DfE from building dozens of dubious ‘annexe’ grammar schools all around the country, all without parliamentary scrutiny, and all in breach of the law.”
Rosie Duffield, the MP for Canterbury and Whitstable, said: “My office has already met with some members of the leadership team from QEGS as part of this consultation.
"We have also received documents from Barton Court.
“Of course I am aware that there is a massive squeeze on school places in the area and that many students, especially from Whitstable, face very long and expensive bus journeys to school if they receive a grammar place.
"I will be listening closely to parents and what they want as part of this consultation.”
The government approved a similar grammar annexe at Sevenoaks two years ago, which is run by the Weald of Kent Girls Grammar School.
