Justine Greening heckled by headteachers over claims grammar schools help poorer children

The Education Secretary was heckled by headteachers as she claimed that grammar schools help poorer pupils to succeed.

Justine Greening was met by booing and shouts of "rubbish" after she claimed that selective schools help close the attainment gap at the the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) conference today.

One member of the audience could be heard saying "there's no evidence" as she gave a keynote speech defending the government's plans to create a new generation of selective schools.

Dozens of its members jeered as Ms Greening told them: "We have to recognise that actually for grammars in terms of the disadvantaged children that they have, they really do help them close the attainment gap.

"And at the same time we should recognise that parents also want choice for their children and that those schools are often very over-subscribed."

Ms Greening was also challenged by a headteacher who asked her why UK policy on the schools "flies in the face" of evidence of social mobility in a tricky meeting.

Prime Minister Theresa May has made plans to create a new wave of selective schools one of her key policies, with the aim of making the UK "the great meritocracy of the world".

However, studies suggest that the change would not increase social mobility and the majority of teachers are thought to be against it.

The ASCL has also warned the Government against creating more grammar schools.

In a speech to the conference, ASCL interim general secretary Malcolm Trobe said: "There is no evidence to support the Prime Minister's current conviction that doing so will improve standards and social mobility."

New Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman, who was also due to address the conference, acknowledged that the issue of grammar schools was problematic for many in the education system.

"It is clearly a very difficult, emotional one for many people," she told BBC Radio 4's World At One.

"We are talking about very small numbers of schools, a tiny proportion of the system,but something that sends a very important message to a lot of people.

"People are very focused on social mobility prospects for disadvantaged children and it is clear that not many disadvantaged children get to go to grammar school although they do do very well when they get there."