The evidence is clear that selective education has a negative impact on social mobility. £50million is significant resource which could be far better invested in the things which are proven to make a difference to the most disadvantaged young people.
The Fair Education Alliance, a cross-sector coalition, has called for investment where the evidence shows we can have the biggest impact on social mobility, notably investment in early years education, teaching and leadership in hard-to-staff schools serving disadvantaged communities, and in building social and emotional skills for young people from all backgrounds. These are the areas where resource should be targeted to help children across the country to succeed, irrespective of their background.