Swale council leader Andrew Bowles says a grammar school should be built in Sheppey.

His comments come after the landmark approval of what has been described as the country’s first new grammar in 50 years.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan rubber-stamped the proposals to build the school in Sevenoaks on Thursday.

The site, which will cater for 450 pupils, will technically be a new annexe of The Weald of Kent Grammar, Tonbridge, bypassing 1998 legislation stopping new selective state schools opening.

But Cllr Bowles, who heads the ruling Tory group at Swale House, has said he hoped the milestone decision could pave the way for more grammars in the area, particularly on Sheppey.

He said: “I would like to see a grammar on the Island, whether a new one or grammar school streaming at the academy.

“I think the academy’s results are very disappointing, but I don’t think it will do any good at all just attacking the academy.

“I don’t wish to denigrate the efforts of the academy; I am sure staff are working very hard.”

He added the argument for grammar streaming was bolstered as Sittingbourne’s regeneration moves forward and the borough needs a larger “pool of skills” in its workforce.

Fellow Tory councillor Mike Whiting, who until 2013 was Kent County Council’s cabinet member for education, also argued for grammar places in the area.

He says if a quarter of all pupils in the county pass the Kent Test, every single one of them should have a spot at a selective school.

But veteran Labour councillor Angela Harrison hit out at any suggestions the Island should have any kind of streaming according to academic ability.

The Sheerness ward member said: “I don’t support grammar schools full stop, I want a decent education for all children.

“The academy’s results are pretty poor, but things are improving there.”

As reported last week, the academy revealed that in this year’s GCSE results, less than a quarter of pupils achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and maths.