Martin backs Hesters Way kids

5.35.47pm GMT Fri 22nd Dec 2006

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood has announced that he is joining the board of governors at threatened Kingsmead School. He will take the place of Lib Dem councillor John Morris who resigned his position recently.

"John Morris was a very committed governor and he had genuine reasons for wanting to resign" said Martin "I'm taking this opportunity to signal my commitment to education in the west of Cheltenham. John and I agree that we need a school at the heart of the community in Hesters Way and I will work with the other governors, parents and children at Kingsmead to make sure we achieve this. I have already been in conversation with the education minister Lord Adonis and I'm very hopeful about the future."

Martin visited Kingsmead before recent announcements about the school's future. "I was really impressed with the kids there. I was shown around not by teachers but by children themselves. They were bright and well-behaved but they felt the school had unfairly been given a bad name locally. Kingsmead certainly has had its problems and it will take investment and hard work to make sure children's education in the west of Cheltenham is safeguarded. But we need to have faith in the kids and in the community. I want to wish them a very happy Christmas and promise them I'll do my best to make it a very positive New Year".

Martin also praised the work of recent head teacher Tina Moon. "I've met Steve Jowett, the new head, and wish him every success. But it's also right to thank Tina for the great work she did in beginning the school's turnaround."