Martin wants top school in Hester's Way (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

Martin wants top school in Hester's Way

January 29, 2007 4:57 PM

Local MP Martin Horwood has been invited to step into Lib Dem councillor John Morris's shoes as a governor of Kingsmead School - just as the local education authority announced the school will certainly close. The invitation came from Lib Dem county councillor Suzanne Williams. Martin has already met the schools minister twice to discuss the future of education in Hester's Way and win government support for a multi-million pound new school on the same site. The new 'academy' would probably include pupils both from Kingsmead and from the current St.Benedict's.

"John Morris has been an outspoken champion of education for kids in the west of Cheltenham" said Martin "He didn't want to see Hester's Way pupils travelling half way across Cheltenham to squeeze into other schools. We're entering a new phase now and the fight is on to get a really good new school here in the community in place of Kingsmead - but also to safeguard the education of the great kids who are attending the school now. I've promised the new head teachers I'll do everything I can to support them. And I'll involve anyone and everyone in planning a really exciting new future".

The local education authority is backing the plan too and the hope is that a new school could open as early as 2010.