REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean took a tour round Tudor Grange Academy in Woodrow on Friday and said she was impressed by what she saw.
Mrs Maclean was shown round by Principal Jodie Bolter accompanied by borough and county councillor Jane Potter, the vice chair of school governors.
Tudor Grange Redditch was one of the prime movers in pushing for the introduction of the two tier system of education in the town to rival the borough’s established and well regarded three tier system of infants, middle and high schools.
Local parents reacted immediately by voting with their feet and last year just 19 pupils applied to join its 2016 Year 7 intake out of 180 places and just 58 at Year 9 out of 280 places.
This year the school was forced to cancel its Year 7 intake for September after only eight pupils applied while at Year 9 just 43 children applied to join.
The financial implications for the school have been massive, blowing an estimated £1.6million hole in the academy’s annual budget and sparking a major restructure.
After her visit Mrs Maclean said: “Of course I am well aware of the concerns that parents have expressed about the move to two-tier education in Redditch, but as someone new to this role in Redditch, I have to take as I find and I was impressed with the facilities on offer.
“They have a great sixth form centre, their provision for those with learning disabilities seems excellent and they have a great drama provision with theatre.
“Jodie’s core beliefs that every student deserves an outstanding education and should be at the centre of everything the school does shines through. Raising student aspirations is critical for any school, and this seems top of the agenda at Tudor Grange.”
She added that new figures showed progress of students at the school was significantly above the national average and in the top quarter of schools nationally.
Mrs Maclean said she is looking forward to visiting all the schools in the constituency as soon she can, and she has also invited school parties to visit Westminster.
Tudor Grange Academy is part of an academy trust which developed from Tudor Grange School in Solihull.
Since then it has grown to include Tudor Grange Primary Academy Haselor, Tudor Grange Primary Academy St James in Shirley, Tudor Grange Samworth Academy in Leicester, Tudor Grange Academy, Redditch and Tudor Grange Academy Worcester.
