Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2016 to Question 56149, on Baverstock Academy, what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) keeping that school open, (b) introducing a new sponsor and (c) complete closure of that school.

The priority for the Secretary of State in making a decision about the future of Baverstock Academy will be to deliver the best educational outcomes for local children, in a way that also provides value for money to the taxpayer. The Secretary of State will therefore consider a range of factors, including cost estimates, for any reasonable option. The costs of viable options over a specified timescale are not yet finalised and form only one element of the value for money decision. As such the Secretary of State’s ultimate decision will take into consideration both the risks involved and dependencies required to deliver each of the options, and the best and most sustainable strategy for delivering good or outstanding school places for every child in the local area.