'It was a pleasure to hear of Welbourn school’s plans', says Sleaford and North Hykeham MP Dr Caroline Johnson

It was a pleasure to recently visit Sir William Robertson Academy in Welbourn where I met Headteacher Mr Guest and the school leaders to hear more about their exciting plans following the school’s successful application to
the Government’s School Rebuilding Programme, writes Dr Caroline Johnson, MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham.

It is fantastic news that this local school which serves many families in the Sleaford and North Hykeham constituency has recently been selected as one of the latest 239 schools that will be rebuilt or substantially refurbished as part of the fourth round of the programme.

The programme will provide the funding to transform 500 schools across England, delivering on the Government’s commitment to level up opportunity around the country and improve school facilities.

Each school in the programme has been selected based on the condition of its buildings, making sure the greatest improvements are delivered for schools that need them the most and maximising children’s chances to gain the skills and knowledge they need.

In addition to the School Rebuilding Programme, the Government is continuing to invest in the school estate with annual capital funding. The Government has allocated over £13 billion since 2015 to maintain and improve school facilities across England, including £1.8 billion in financial year 2022-23.

I was incredibly pleased to hear of Sir William Robertson Academy’s future plans for their school site following their successful application to the programme and I look forward to hearing more about the works as they evolve.

During my visit to the school, I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting a group of pupils for a Q&A session. The pupils from Year 7 up to Sixth Form asked a great range of questions and it was good to hear of their interest in
politics and education policy.