Lincolnshire grammar schools condemned after they promote woodwork for boys and cookery for girls

A minister and multiple MPs have condemned a pair of Lincolnshire grammar schools after they offered the "outdated" options of cookery for girls and design and technology for boys.

Spalding Grammar School and Spalding High School invited Year Four primary school pupils from the local area for  "experience days".

A letter sent home to parents read: "The children will take part in two, hour-long lessons. The girls will be attending Spalding High School where they will take part in a food technology and drama lesson, whilst the boys will be taking part in a double Design and Technology lesson at Spalding Grammar School."

An angered parent of a young girl posted on Twitter: "I think this letter, that came home with an upset 9 year old girl today. Shows that as a country/society, we have not progressed one cm in 30 years."

She added that her daughter "lives and breathes design and technology and can't understand why she has to do cooking and drama".

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss criticised the schools, tweeting: "Leeds in the 1980s was more advanced than this. Both girls and boys doing woodwork, metalwork and cooking. As it should be. #retro".

Other Members of Parliament joined in, with Conservative MP Rachel Maclean adding: "This is madness! Takes me back to my comp in the 70s where the boys did metalwork and the girls needlework. We have moved on so what on earth is this school thinking! (Even though needlework is v useful BUT I made all my kids - and my husband -do their own!)

"I used to sneak into the metalwork lessons. Super jealous of the boys with their sparks and welders."

Ms Truss replied: "I used to enjoy a nice bit of soldering."

Vicky Ford MP said the letter was "utterly shocking", and added that "kids need to live in the 21 Century not Downton Abbey."

Former sports minister Tracey Crouch added: "I bet girls are only offered netball and hockey while boys get to do football and rugby".

The schools responded in a joint statement: "As part of a broad Primary Liaison programme, helping primary school pupils to transition confidently to secondary school, Spalding Grammar School (for boys) and Spalding High School (for girls) work together to provide a range of experiences, including an opportunity for local pupils to spend part of a day with us.

"Across the last 10 days, we have welcomed over 700 pupils from 24 schools, and they have experienced the full range of subjects available at both schools; the actual subjects offered on any given day is simply dependent on the availability of staffing and resources.

"We have received, as we do every year, a huge amount of positive feedback about this initiative and it is a shame that our intentions have been misinterpreted in this way."