Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2017 to Question 61381, what financial information her Department has provided to the community and stakeholders to inform their representations on the proposed closure of Baverstock Academy.

A final decision has not yet been made on the future of the Baverstock Academy. The ‘listening period’, which commenced on 10 January and ended on 7 February, was to invite the community and stakeholders of Baverstock Academy to make representations to the Secretary of State. The Department does not provide information, financial or otherwise, to the public as part of this process.

As part of the transparency of academy trusts, they are required to publish their financial accounts annually on their website. This information was therefore readily available to the community and stakeholders to inform their representations to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State will review the submissions from the community before reaching a final decision. Consideration will be given to all representations to ensure that whatever decision is reached will be in the best interests of the students and local community of Baverstock Academy.