Witham MP, Priti Patel and the Education Minister, Baroness Barran, the Minister for School Systems and Student Finance last week visited Maltings Academy in Witham to formally meet with the leadership team, parent representatives, pupils and the Chief Executive of Academies Enterprise Trust (AET).
This visit, which was formally requested by Priti and Department of Education, follows a number of changes at the school over the last 18 months and series of issues, concerns and complaints which has impacted the educational attainment and safeguarding of pupils who attend the school, alongside the recent OFSTED report which stated that the school required improvement. Priti, working with the Department of Education and OFSTED, is seeking to support long term improvements at the school so that the educational attainment of local pupils improves significantly, along with the future prospects of those educated at Maltings Academy.
Commenting on the visit, Priti Patel said: ‘I have been pressing AET and Maltings Academy for almost a year about the growing concerns that have been brought to my attention affecting pupils at the school and I would like to thank the Department of Education, Baroness Barron in particular and OFSTED for working with me and for the way in which they are assisting with addressing these concerns directly, including by meeting parents.
The education of Witham’s young is so important that when issues in our schools arise they cannot be ignored. We all have a duty and responsibility to create the best educational environment for all pupils and to nurture and support them to reach their full potential. Our school years can be the most formative parts of our early development as young adults, so I look forward to seeing considerable improvements at the school, post the recent OFSTED, and the ongoing dialogues I am having with both the Department for Education and local families. I want our secondary schools to be the best and that also means providing every pupil with the best education and the best opportunities as they develop into young adults.’
