Education secretary Justine Greening has defended Conservative plans to end a ban on new grammar schools, saying allowing new ones to open will improve choice for parents.

She was speaking on a visit to Broadstairs to see students from East Kent College in action at The Yarrow, the hotel, restaurant and hospitality site used to offer real-life training facilities.

She said the party’s flagship policy of permitting new grammar schools would give parents greater choice but acknowledged existing selective schools could do more to improve opportunities for poorer brighter children.

“I think it really matters that parents and students have a choice which is why we are removing the ban so at a local level there is that choice. But I want to see these new grammars work collaboratively and in partnership with other schools and we want to see existing grammars do that too.”

She said she was encouraged to see some Kent selective schools already acting to give priority to brighter poorer children.

“More and more are changing their admission arrangements and it is really important that they do - I have made it quite clear that I want all of them to do that.”

Ms Greening also met a group of headteachers during her visit and was pressed on funding cuts and changes to the way school budgets were calculated. Many Kent schools have complained that they could lose out under the changes.

An analysis by Kent teaching unions suggested that schools in the county could lose £40m in funding and the loss of 1,000 jobs under the reforms.

She said: “It is important we bring in a fair system...what we inherited from Labour is something that was really a post-code lottery so it is important we have fairness but I do recognise there are pressures on school budgets.”

Speaking after the county council election, KCC Conservative leader Paul Carter said that he remained concerned by the funding reforms.

“My issue is that there is too much weighting going into poor prior attainment and social deprivation on top of the pupil premium. It cannot be right that a high school in east Kent with high levels of social deprivation compared to a middle of the road high school in west Kent is getting more than £2m more. It is too skewed in one direction. Getting the balance right is key.”

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East Kent College Principal Graham Razey said: “It was fantastic to host Justine and Craig at our training hotel, The Yarrow, in Broadstairs, and show them the work we’re doing to get students career ready. It was also a great opportunity to discuss education policy and Justine was extremely receptive to many of our ideas. Innovation like The Yarrow is never simple, but with Government backing we can continue to change lives and develop real prosperity within the communities we serve.”

Education secretary Justin Greening has defended Conservative plans to end a ban on new grammar schools, saying they will improve choice for parents.

And she has told headteachers at a closed meeting that the government’s plans to reform funding for schools would lead to increased budgets for many.

She was speaking on a visit to Broadstairs to see students from East Kent College in action at The Yarrow, the hotel, restaurant and hospitality site used to offer real-life training facilities.

She said the party’s flagship policy of permitting new grammar schools would give parents greater choice but did acknowledged existing selective schools could do more to improve opportunities for poorer brighter children.

“I think it really matters that parents and students have a choice which is why we are removing the ban so at a local level there is that choice. But I want to see these new grammars work collaboratively and in partnership with other schools and we want to see existing grammars do that too.”

She said she was encouraged to see some Kent selective schools already acting to give priority to brighter poorer children.

“More and more are changing their admission arrangements and it is really important that they do - I have made it quite clear that I want all of them to do that.”

Ms Greening also met a group of headteachers during her visit and was pressed on funding cuts and changes to the way school budgets were calculated. Many Kent schools have complained that they could lose out under the changes.

An analysis by Kent teaching unions suggested that schools in the county could lose £40m in funding and the loss of 1,000 jobs under the reforms.

She said: “It is important we bring in a fair system...what we inherited from Labour is something that was really a post-code lottery so it is important we have fairness but I do recognise there are pressures on school budgets.”

Speaking after the county council election, KCC Conservative leader Paul Carter said that he remained concerned by the funding reforms.

“My issue is that there is too much weighting going into poor prior attainment and social deprivation on top of the pupil premium. It cannot be right that a high school in east Kent with high levels of social deprivation compared to a middle of the road high school in west Kent is getting more than £2m more. It is too skewed in one direction. Getting the balance right is key.”