Stuart Anderson MP was delighted to open a new alternative provision school in Wolverhampton. The Progress School is based in School Street at The Way Youth Zone in Stuart’s Wolverhampton South West constituency. It will offer a broad and varied curriculum for 11 to 16 year olds who struggle with mainstream schooling. The alternative provision will be in place for students on a permanent or a temporary basis, according to their needs.
Stuart was invited to cut the ribbon for the new school which, since 2015, has set up a chain of schools across the country. All of them have been rated ‘Good’ by OFSTED. Each school has a maximum of 35 students, meaning they can deliver personalised support. At the opening, Stuart met the senior leadership team and was given a tour of the site which will be used by students who are currently not in formal education, at risk of permanent exclusion, or cannot fulfil their potential in
their current mainstream setting.
As a local Member of Parliament, Stuart welcomed the new school which has been registered with the Department for Education. In the last year, Stuart has also been pleased to support initiatives which will see a new school be built, a well-established one that will be rebuilt so that it can offer enhanced facilities, and all state schools receiving an increased budget.
Earlier this year, the Department for Education announced £8 million as part of a Transition Fund to help Alternative Provision settings pay for one-to-one support such as mentors or specialist transition coaches to help up to 11,400 Year 11 pupils make informed decisions about their options after they finish school and facilitate access into further education, post-16 training routes, or directly into employment.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “As a parent, I want to ensure that all children have a great start in life, with good schools, training opportunities, and personalised careers support. I was delighted to open the new Progress School in Wolverhampton, which will offer a broad and enriching programme of support for young people who may struggle in mainstream school or require extra support to fulfil their full potential. I look forward to working with the school in the years ahead as it serves our community.”