Suzanne Webb MP has welcomed the announcement that Thorns Collegiate Academy in Stourbridge will benefit from £418,820 to improve school facilities.
The funding is a share of £560 million Government investment, to expand classrooms, upgrade facilities and improve the education of children across the whole country. This funding will ensure schools have well-maintained facilities to provide students with better facilities so that our children get the world-class education they deserve.
£2 billion has been made available this year for the improvement of school buildings across the country. There will be a ten-year school building programme starting later this year which will form part of the Prime Minister’s New Deal for Britain, helping the country bounce back from coronavirus.
The funding will also deliver on a key promise made by Conservatives during the general election, forming part of a £14 billion injection into the school system over the next three years.
Suzanne has also thanked all Schools across Stourbridge who have played their part in responding to coronavirus, ensuring their doors remained open for the children of essential workers – who have kept the NHS, public services and economy going throughout this crisis. In September, schools across England will safely reopen their doors to all pupils.
Suzanne said:
“Coronavirus has taken a toll on us all, not least our children, who have been kept from their friends, their teachers and their schools.
“I have been focussed on making sure as many children who can return to school can do, and now our focus must switch towards September and beyond. Making sure our schools have first rate facilities is vital so that our children get the best possible education.
“This funding for Thorns will help ensure more children in Stourbridge have modern environments which will promote the very best possible schools and education, enabling them to gain all the knowledge and skills they need for success.”
“I’d also like to pay tribute to the teachers and non-teaching staff right through from the cooks to the cleaners who have also looked after our children during this time. I was delighted to visit Withymoor Primary School recently to see their efforts in looking after children safely and I look forward to visiting more schools when they return in September.”
Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson said:
“Investing in our school and college buildings helps create modern environments that lend themselves to great teaching, making sure every child has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
“We have worked at great speed to release this additional £560m of condition funding to schools for projects this year to kick-start the economy and get the country moving again following coronavirus.
“This funding brings the total allocated to improve the condition of our school buildings to £2 billion this year and paves the way for our new transformative ten-year school building programme starting later this year with over £1 billion funding for the first wave of 50 schools.”
