Westbury-on-Trym MP and Henleaze parent talk about need for secondary school

Westbury-on-Trym MP Charlotte Leslie spoke at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham this afternoon along with a parent from her constitutency who has been campaigning for a secondary school for the area.

Ms Leslie said that legislation from the new Education Secretary Michael Gove had given parents in her constituency hopes of getting a school that had been needed for year been campaigning for a secondary school for the area.

She introduced father-of-three Phil Radford, from Henleaze, who is involved with the Parents' Voice campaign. He told the conference there were five primary schools in the area but not one secondary school and that children were forced to travel to South Gloucestershire or North Somerset to find places.

"Many families move away from the area, 200 families this year alone," he said. "It damages communities in so many ways."

He said that the new Government's new legislation was giving parents a chance. "We are so grateful for that," he said.

The legislation referred to is that of academy status which schools can now apply for. St Ursula's School at Westbury-on-Trym was an independent school but went into administration over the summer. It is now called Oasis School Westbury after being given a new lease of life by Christian charity Oasis Community Learning and is set to become a state-funded academy next year.

No decision has yet been made on whether it will remain for all ages – or become just a primary or just a secondary school.