Martin gives cautious welcome to schools review

4.55.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Jun 2009

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood has cautiously welcomed the government's announcement today that Conservative-run Gloucestershire County Council and two other councils will be investigated by expert education advisers. The reason for the expert review, according to Secretary of State Ed Balls, was that Gloucestershire needed 'to make more progress' in tackling underperformance in 'a handful of schools'.

Martin said 'I welcome any investigation into the inequality of educational outcomes in Gloucestershire, including Cheltenham. But I want the review to look at some of the underlying reasons for this, including the social inequalities we face in Gloucestershire and the funding formula that is still linked to historic underfunding by Conservative councils in the past. I hope the expert advisers also recognise the dramatic improvements achieved by students and teachers in some of the most challenged schools like Cheltenham Kingsmead. Lessons can and should be learnt from the dramatic progress they have made.