North Shropshire’s MP is to meet a government minister to discuss bringing students back into full education after the fire at St Martins School.
Helen Morgan MP recently raised the plight of pupils in Westminster with education ministers as they took questions from MPs in the House of Commons for the first time since the fire broke out last month.
The MP highlighted that many secondary school students have been without face-to-face education for nearly four weeks as a result of serious damage caused to utilities, toilets and other key elements of the school.
In response, Education Minister Josh MacAlister said he’d be “very happy to have a discussion, with her, about the arrangements and to make sure we can get students back into proper classrooms as soon as possible.”
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Ms Morgan has been in regular contact with school staff and has met headteacher Alison Pope on-site to see the impact for herself and offer any support she can getting all pupils back in as normal.
She praised the local community for rallying around the school, with the community centre and Stans supermarket providing support, while a fundraiser set up within hours of the blaze gathered more than £2,500.
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“The solidarity shown by the community in St Martins has been really impressive, but it’s really important all children are brought back on-site full time as soon as possible,” said Ms Morgan.
“That can’t happen until their safety can be guaranteed.
“School staff are working extremely hard to make that happen urgently, and I hope the Minister will also do everything he can to help secure a solution that makes sure all students get the education they need.”
Temporary buildings are being installed at the all-through school and Ms Morgan is pushing the Department for Education to do everything possible to get all secondary students back on-site full-time as soon as possible. Primary-aged students have already returned.
