The Tory leader of Bucks County Council and Aylesbury MP David Lidington have reaffirmed their support for the three grammar schools in the town despite a speech last week by David Willetts, shadow education secretary, that said there was a widespread belief the 11-plus entrenches social advantage.

Bucks County Council leader David Shakespeare has written to Mr Willetts to make it quite plain that the council will not only keep its grammar schools, including Aylesbury Grammar, Aylesbury High and Sir Henry Floyd, but wants to be able to provide more when housing growth demands it.

Cllr Shakespeare said: "We are clearly falling into the trap of focusing on school structure rather than concentrating on what really matters, the quality of teaching and learning, and the ability to offer a range of learning opportunities to meet the needs of all children. One size most definitely does not fit all.

"The new policy presents us with particular problems in terms of the need for additional school places to accommodate the housing growth imposed upon us by this Labour government.

Aylesbury MP David Lidington has also backed the presence of grammar schools in Aylesbury and the rest of Bucks.

He said: "I have always supported the present system in Bucks and continue to do so.

"We are continuing to support grammar schools but we do also need to look at new ways of reorganising the state schools.

"To have a massive reorganisation of school admissions is the last thing that we want to do. We need to concentrate on what goes on in schools, on things such as the leadership of the head, teaching and pastoral care."

The Aylesbury branch of the UK Independence Party have accused the Tory party of abandoning the grammar schools in the town. Chris Adams, member of Aylesbury UK Independence Party, said: "It is gross hypocrisy for the Tories to kill off grammar schools when five members of the shadow cabinet went to grammar schools, as did eight government cabinet ministers."

David Cameron, Conservative party leader has described opponents to the Tory policy who want to build more grammar schools as delusional.

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