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As part of her plan for social cohesion Mrs May, who was educated at a grammar school herself, will allow a new wave of selective schools to be built.

The policy could be announced as early as October at the Conservative party conference, and marks a big departure from David Cameron’s approach to education – with the embattled former PM often having to fight backbenchers on the issue.

A government source told the Telegraph the move to scrap the ban was all about: “social mobility and making sure that people have the opportunity to capitalise on all of their talents”.