This petition calls on the Government and the Secretary of State for Education to take immediate action to fix this growing inequality in our education system.

We are asking for:

1. New grammar schools to be built, especially in areas where demand is high and access is limited;
2. More funding for existing grammar schools, so they can reduce barriers and serve a wider community;
3. A long-term plan to make high-quality academic education accessible and affordable for all children, based on merit, not money.
    

If your child has worked hard and achieved a qualifying score in the grammar school entrance exam but still hasn’t secured a place at a nearby school and you cannot continue to afford private education you are not alone. Across the country, many families are finding that academic success is no longer enough. Access to selective education is being limited not by merit but by postcode and income. In many places, there are no grammar schools in their catchment areas. 

Currently, there are simply not enough grammar school places to meet the demand for bright, capable children. A small number of grammar schools have become highly oversubscribed, with places going to those who can afford to live within tight catchment areas. At the same time, the imposition of VAT on private school fees has made the situation even worse. Families who once stretched themselves to afford a private school place now face unaffordable costs. As a result, many academically gifted children are left with no viable options—except to settle for schools that may not meet their potential or attempt home education.

The rising cost of housing, stamp duty, and now private education means many families simply cannot move or pay their way into the system. This should not be the price of opportunity. If we fail to act, we risk losing a generation of talented young people held back not by lack of ability, but by an unfair system.

Please sign this petition if your academically gifted child passed the grammar school exam but was denied a place and you cannot afford a private school. If the system has failed your child, let’s stand together and demand fair access to quality education for all.