Oral Answers to Questions

Steve McCabe Excerpts

Monday 19th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gibb]

Yes, I do, and we have a scheme that does just that. As the years go by, it is recruiting increasing, albeit small, numbers of highly qualified, experienced ex-military personnel.

[Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)]

10. Whether her Department has closed any state secondary schools within three years of their conversion to a single trust academy.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Justine Greening)]

We have not permanently closed any converter academies within three years of their conversion to a single trust academy. However, we have rebrokered or merged converter academies.

[Steve McCabe]

If no school has been closed within three years of such a conversion and no academy closed solely as a result of a bad Ofsted report, and if there is no reliable estimate of the costs of closure or of the availability of alternative places, future demand, real travel patterns and journey times to alternative schools, how do the Government justify reneging on their promise to pupils and parents to rescue Baverstock Academy in my constituency, rather than close their school?

[Justine Greening]

No decision has been taken yet by Ministers on the future of Baverstock Academy, which has twice now been put into special measures by Ofsted. Ministers are going to consider all options, and of course the view of parents and the community, before reaching a final decision. The key factor will be ensuring that children get good access to a good education.