Minister visits 'crumbling' Dudley school after MP raised problems in parliament
Education minister Stephen Morgan has visited a 'crumbling' Black Country school after its problems were raised in parliament.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Dudley MP Sonia Kumar urged Mr Morgan to visit Red Hall Primary School in Lower Gornal after speaking about its dilapidated buildings and 'unsafe' split-site layout during a debate in the Commons.
She told MPs how teachers had to put buckets around the school to catch water from leaks during wet weather, not helped by the aged Victorian structures and the recent theft of lead from the roofs.
The school was split across two sites either side of Zoar Street, which she said posed a danger to young children as they walked between classes.
Mr Morgan spoke to teachers and pupils about the challenges they faced and discussed plans to improve the site.
Headmistress Helen Tomlinson said she was pleased to have Mr Morgan and Miss Kumar visit the school.
"They were able to see how engaged and alert children at Red Hall are," she said.
"They could also see the challenges that a school like Red Hall faces due to the ageing building and location with the school across two sites with a busy main road running through it.
"They are clearly showing a keen interest in education and learning for themselves first hand what the challenges are that educators are facing.”
Miss Kumar said the previous Labour government had backed plans to refurbish the school buildings and consolidate the campus on one side of the road, but the project was put on hold when the Conservatives took office in 2010. She called on the new government to revive that.
"Red Hall Primary School's current situation is unacceptable," she said. "The safety of our children and staff must be a priority."
