Schools That Work For Everyone Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Schools That Work For Everyone

Henry Smith Excerpts
Monday 14th May 2018

(5 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Damian Hinds Portrait Damian Hinds
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There are some particularly striking examples of individual schools that have gone rather further, including the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham. We know that when children from disadvantaged backgrounds go to selective schools, they make more rapid progress. I want more children to have that opportunity.

Henry Smith Portrait Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
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Thomas Bennett Community College in my constituency was rebuilt in the early 2000s, but the only option was the private finance initiative, and it is now spending about a quarter of its revenue budget on servicing that loan. I appreciate that this is new capital spending, but what can be done to help schools in such a position restructure such loans?

Damian Hinds Portrait Damian Hinds
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I will be pleased to meet my hon. Friend again to discuss that situation.