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Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MPLiberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick Upon TweedWorking for you and the Berwick upon Tweed Constituency all year roundin Northumberland and in Westminster |
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Schools Minister to visit Alnwick's Duchess Community High School
October 12, 2009 11:30 AM
Schools Minister Vernon Coaker MP is to visit the Duchess Community High School in Alnwick on Monday 19 October to see for himself how the school is achieving good results despite the dilapidated state of the buildings.
The visit has been arranged following the parliamentary debate secured by Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith in July. Mr Coaker was unable to take part in the debate but has taken a personal interest in the school after hearing about the problems with its buildings.
Sir Alan said
"I am delighted that the Minister is coming to see the school. His predecessor promised to visit but never managed to find the time.
"The county council was making progress with plans for a new school but these were put on hold because of the collapse in land values and the recession, and the state of the current buildings is such that we cannot wait for an economic recovery before we get the new buildings.
"I hope the Minister will continue to take a personal interest in Alnwick's situation and will help us find some way forward."
Head teacher Maurice Hall said
"I look forward to be able to show the Minister firsthand the difficult learning and working conditions that our students and staff deal with every day. We will certainly concentrate on the many positives that make this school the excellent one that it is , but not shy away from the poor conditions of our buildings and the unsuitable nature of our split site.
" We hope to convince him that it is time to find a radical solution to our very pressing problems."
The Minister will tour the school along with Sir Alan Beith MP and Cllr Jeff Reid, Leader of Northumberland County Council.
The Minister's principal policy areas are raising school standards, including public examinations and national tests, the National Curriculum, 14-19 education and Diplomas; school funding and capital, including Building Schools for the Future; and schools workforce issues. Vernon Coaker was appointed Minister of State for Policing, Security and Crime in October 2008. Before taking up his post at the Home Office, he was a Government whip. Previously, Vernon Coaker was the under-secretary of state in the Home Office. Before this he held the position of Government whip, parliamentary private secretary to Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and was also parliamentary private secretary to Estelle Morris when she was secretary of state for education. Vernon Coaker has been MP for Gedling in Nottinghamshire since 1997. Before becoming an MP, he was deputy headteacher at Bigwood School in Nottingham.
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