Woodhouse High School

The Landau Forte Academy in Tamworth is one of the few new developments still taking place under the Building Schools for the Future programme, which was today scrapped by the government, saving some £5 billion over the coming years.

Whilst other schools in Tamworth will suffer from today’s announcement, work will continue on the new campus at Woodhouse High School, which will see the new post 16 centre open next year.  All other developments like those planned at Belgrave High School, QEMs and Rawlett have all been stopped.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, said that these measures were necessary to help plug the deficit the county finds itself in.  With the whole BSF scheme being a huge overspend.

“The whole process by which the Government procured new school buildings was a case in point.

“The Building Schools for the Future scheme has been responsible for about one third of all this department’s capital spending.

“But throughout its life it has been characterised by massive overspends, tragic delays, botched construction projects and needless bureaucracy.”

Instead of investing in rebuilding schools, Mr Gove has said the government will invest in the future, by investing in great teachers.

“We know that the world’s best education systems have the most highly qualified teachers.

“We are fortunate the current generation of teachers are the best ever. But we must do better if we are to keep pace with the best.

“No organisation has done more to attract brilliant new recruits into the classroom, than the charity Teach First. Since its launch, Teach First has placed hundreds of highly accomplished graduates in our most challenging schools, and has helped drive up attainment in those schools for the very poorest.

“We believe that every child should have access to excellence, especially the poorest, which is why we will more than double the size of the programme – from 560 new teachers a year to one thousand one hundred and forty.”

More on this development as it becomes available.