The Schools minister, Stephen Morgan, visited Haygrove School on Friday, December 6, 2024, to discuss the rebuild project for the educational facility.
Minister Morgan was joined by Ashley Fox, MP for Bridgwater, who invited the minister to visit the school. Parts of the site remain wrapped in white plastic and scaffolding since it was closed in December 2023 after the main building was discovered to be unsafe due to faulty construction.
Ashley Fox said," This afternoon, I welcomed the Schools Minister Stephen Morgan MP to Haygrove School. He was impressed by the dedication of the staff and students, who continue to achieve some of the best educational outcomes in Somerset despite the challenges posed by the school building."
"During the visit, we toured the school site to provide the Minister with a first-hand understanding of the need to rebuild the school on a new location."
"Together with representatives from Haygrove School, the Quantock Trust, the Department for Education, and the Minister, we had a highly productive discussion. I was encouraged by the Minister's commitment to rebuilding the school and am delighted that work is underway to finalise and agreement to construct a new facility on on nearby land at Queenswood Farm."
Interim Headteacher at Haygrove School, Leanne Mills, said: "We are grateful to Minister Morgan for taking the time to understand our circumstances. This visit has allowed us to showcase our resilience and the remarkable achievements of our students and staff.”
“We want to reassure our community that Haygrove School remains an excellent institution, evidenced by our recent 'Good' Ofsted rating and our highest exam results to date. We are pleased to be working with colleagues at the Department for Education towards formalising a solution for the rebuild of Haygrove School on a new site.”
Chrysta Garnett, CEO of the Quantock Education Trust, added, "We thank Minister Morgan for his time and support. We also acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Ashley Fox MP in helping to organise this visit. Their involvement and commitment to working with us is greatly appreciated as we navigate these challenges."
The Quantock Education Trust has said that it welcomes “progress on resolving our facility issues” and that the Trust is “incredibly proud of how our school community has adapted and thrived under the current conditions.”
