SOUTHEND Labour took a stand against the newly-proposed grammar schools by joining the national campaign “Education Not Segregation.”

They came together at Rochford Market square as part of an Education Campaign Action Day.

They collected signatures for a national petition, spoke to local residents about schools in the area and handed out leaflets in support of the Labour Party’s policy of inclusive education for all.

Ashley Dalton, a Rochford and Southend East delegate to Labour’s National Conference in Liverpool, set out issues that will be put to local residents during the campaign.

She said: “There are 12 secondary schools in Southend and four of them, a third, are grammar schools. So popular and successful are our grammar schools that the majority of children that attend them don’t even live in Southend.

“Some children travel up to 30 miles from outside our town to come to those schools. Every child, regardless of their academic ability, their postcode, or their parents’ wealth deserves to go to an outstanding school.

“But more grammar schools does not equate to more outstanding schools. All grammar schools deliver are more failing comprehensives.”

Anne Jones, the Labour spokesman for education in Southend said: “Grammar schools currently have around 3 per cent of children entitled to free school meals, opposed to 18 percent in secondary schools in areas where there are grammar schools.

“There is little evidence of increased social mobility. We believe that education should be high quality and comprehensive. It must ensure that new technology is embraced and the skills of this generation are developed to match future employment needs.

“The Labour Party will invest in communities, in schools and in individual pupils, by way of an arts premium and reinstating maintenance grants.”