Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Garnier Excerpts
Monday 29th April 2024

(6 months, 3 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Johnston Portrait David Johnston
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York is in our safety valve programme to provide support with the financial challenges it has. It has seen a 27% increase in per-head funding in the last three financial years. We review the funding formula every year. The biggest complaint people have is the historic factor, which is difficult to reduce quickly because there are children receiving that provision at the moment.

Mark Garnier Portrait Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest) (Con)
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Wyre Forest School, a special school in Kidderminster, has been doing a fantastic job for a number of years, but it has been running way past its maximum capacity for some time. There was potential for relief when its next-door neighbour, Baxter College, secured funding from a generous grant from the school rebuilding programme for a mutually beneficial rebuilding to expand capacity on both sides. However, with that project being in phase 3, Wyre Forest School and Baxter College may have to wait until 2032 before they can see any beneficial reliefs. Will the Minister or the Secretary of State meet me and the heads of the two schools to discuss how we can expedite getting this rebuilding programme under way?

David Johnston Portrait David Johnston
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I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend.