Oral Answers to Questions

Justin Madders Excerpts

Monday 6th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

Under the new national funding formula, all schools will get a cash rise in their budgets. As much as anything, the challenge now is finally to address the regional disparities that still exist in our education system.

[Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port and Neston) (Lab)]

6. What assessment she has made of progress at University Church of England Academy in Ellesmere Port since it was placed into special measures.

[The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)]

Ofsted judged University Church of England Academy to be inadequate in June 2017. The west midlands regional schools commissioner has been working with the University of Chester Academies Trust to help improve academic standards at the school, and an educational adviser visited the school in July to provide support. The trust has appointed a new chief executive officer and chair, and an application for emergency strategic school improvement funding and support from a local outstanding secondary school has been submitted.

[Justin Madders]

This school, which his consistently failed to reach the required standard, has been letting down kids in my constituency for far too long. How long will the Minister give it before he steps in?

[Nick Gibb]

We always take swift action when either schools or academies fail—that has been the hallmark of this Government—which is why there are 1.8 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools today than in 2010.