“For decades, young people and parents in Sevenoaks have been marginalised by not having grammar provision in the town. It’s time we made a significant investment in the proportionate expansion of selective schools in West Kent. Let’s get on with finding the right site to build the grammar school in Sevenoaks.” Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council.

“Because of population growth, the number of children overall to be educated in every sort of school will rise. In a selective area, if provision needs to grow in order to take account of that, that’s absolutely fine.” Michael Gove, Secretary Of State For Education.

“There’s a growing shortage of grammar school places. With at least 300 places going to children from outside the county, and an increasing birth rate, unless we take action now, Sevenoaks children face being allocated places as far away as Sittingbourne and Ashford.” Michael Fallon, MP for Sevenoaks.

“It seems strange that a town such as Sevenoaks does not boast a grammar school. More than 1,000 children commute to Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells to attend classes. This is a ludicrous situation which only clogs the roads and lessens youngsters' opportunities to stay behind for after-school activities.” Sevenoaks Chronicle

“The creation of a grammar school annexe is a step in the right direction in helping to solve the problem of children travelling up to 25 miles to get to school. The council will press ahead and work up a full proposal to make this happen for the parents in Sevenoaks as soon as possible.” Mike Whiting, Kent County Council Education Chief.

“The Sevenoaks grammar school debate marked a momentous moment in the county’s history, which will change the face of education provision in the future. It highlighted the power of people pulling together, united in one cause that they truly believe in.” Mike Whiting, Kent County Council Education Chief.

“The scale of the increase in the birth rate is so enormous that we have a crisis, particularly in areas like Kent.” Stephen Twigg, Shadow Education Minister

“For me, it comes down to the right of parents to educate their children as they see fit. If a parent on a modest income with an exceptionally able child wants to give that child the best possible start in life by sending him or her to a grammar school, they should be allowed to do so.” Toby Young, Daily Telegraph

“For bright children from modest backgrounds, grammar schools are powerful engines of social mobility. I was lucky enough to go to a grammar school in Kent, which established such a reputation in physics that one year it accounted for a full 1% of all university physics undergraduates.” Ross Clark, Daily Express.

“Grammar schools are a beacon for the entire state education system.” Michael Gove, Secretary Of State For Education

“The children of Sevenoaks have suffered this injustice for far too long. A community grammar school in Sevenoaks would ensure that all local children who pass the 11 plus test would receive the grammar school education they deserve.” Andrew Shilling, Sevenoaks Grammar School Campaigner

“Our change, to allow good schools to take more pupils, far from “entrenching advantage” will mean more pupils from deprived backgrounds have the opportunity to attend the best schools.” Nick Gibb, Schools Minister.

“The paradox today is that no major political party would dare to campaign to bring back grammar schools, yet where they still exist, such as in Kent, no front-rank politician would dare to advocate their abolition, because they are so cherished by parents.” Michael Portillo

"People from my sort of background needed Grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn." Margaret Thatcher