I was delighted to learn today that five schools in Bolton South East have been selected to receive additional funding from the Government.  St. James’s C of E High School, Harper Green School, Masefield Primary School, Bolton Muslim Girls School and Bowness Primary School have all received money from the Condition Improvement Fund.

This fund is designed to support academies and sixth forms with remedial building works, ensuring that health and safety standards are met, and and keeping buildings regulation compliant and energy efficient.  It is encouraging that these funds are made available, but I stand with the Labour Party’s demand that far more money be put into education to keep our class sizes down and our teachers happy to keep teaching.

Funding per pupil has dropped 8.1% in real terms since Tory austerity began, and schools around the country are closing early and asking for increasing contributions from parents for school upkeep.

This fund is good news for the schools selected, but far more needs to be done.