The Secretary of State for Education has confirmed this week that The Magna Carta School in Egham will benefit from major investment, replacing the RAAC affected tower with new facilities and assessing further buildings on site which may benefit from replacement, all done through the Government’s School Rebuilding Programme.
Following the discovery of RAAC on site, work has been underway to assess the site and best options to either repair or replace the affected building. Magna Carta School had already identified maintenance issues within the building, and sought approval and funding to replace the building with brand new facilities for students. With support from local MP Dr Ben Spencer, they campaigned to have the school included in the SRP programme and for the Government to allocate RAAC funding to the rebuild project.
During a meeting with Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Education, Dr Ben Spencer received confirmation that not only has this been agreed, but assessments are also being carried out on other buildings on site which may benefit from being included in the rebuild project.
Gillian Keegan MP said:
The Magna Carta School will be transformed by our School Rebuilding Programme. It was really interesting to discuss the project in more detail with Ben who has relentlessly championed the school’s redevelopment. This investment will deliver a fantastic new school that is net-zero in operation - and will benefit thousands of students for many years to come.
Dr Ben Spencer MP said:
It is fantastic news for pupils and parents in Egham that Magna Carta School is going to undergo rebuild and development works. The tower block is going to be knocked down and replaced, and there may be even more rebuilding and replacement of buildings at the school. The decision by the Department of Education to include Magna Carta School in the rebuilding programme is a testament to the dedication, vision and hard work that has been demonstrated by the senior leadership team, who at all stages have worked tirelessly to ensure the needs of students are met and any disruption to learning was minimised. Well done to them and I can’t wait to see the new designs!
Michael del Río, Executive Principal & CEO of The Magna Carta School said:
We are delighted to hear that following a challenging year of coping with the loss of a number of teaching spaces resulting from the discovery of RAAC, that the Secretary of State has now confirmed that The Magna Carta School will, under the School Rebuilding Programme, benefit from brand new facilities to replace a significant portion of the school’s estate. Students and staff have responded to the challenges of working in less than ideal conditions with fortitude and this is a well-deserved and most welcomed announcement which will continue to support the development of the school in fulfilment of its vision that Learning Shapes Lives. Our thanks to all those who have supported us in making the case, including our local MP, Dr Ben Spencer.
UST Chair of Trustees, Chris Howorth said,
the Trust Board and I are very pleased that the Secretary of State for Education has recognised the need for investment in The Magna Carta School buildings to underpin the development of the school which means so much to residents across North Runnymede. We would like to express our gratitude to Dr Ben Spencer who has worked tirelessly alongside the school’s leadership team and the board to ensure the very best opportunities for the young people we serve. The RAAC issue has been a challenge for all concerned and it is heartening to arrive at a positive conclusion to our work on this with the Department for Education.
Ends.
