Historic Walsall school fails in £1.3m funding bid
An historic Walsall school has failed in its bid to win more than £1 million of funding for much needed improvements.
All Saints National Academy on High Street, formerly Bloxwich C of E Primary, had applied to central government to receive some £1.364m of funding to help bring parts of the school up to scratch.
But it has just found out that its application has been unsuccessful.
Walsall North MP David Winnick had spearheaded the campaign to get the funding for the school, even taking pupils at the school to meet with schools minister Nick Gibb.
He said he was 'very very disappointed' about the funding not being secured and added he was hoping to have a debate in the House of Commons on the matter.
He said: "It's a shame and very disappointing. It's unbelievable given the state of the building the bid has been unsuccessful. I just find it so difficult to understand.
"However I intend to have a debate on the subject saying that the position is untenable.
"I think the funding will come eventually.
"Last autumn I had a letter from Nicky Morgan saying the school was becoming an academy but there was no indication of the funding needed for the work.
"The work has been needed for awhile. The minister didn't dispute this, he accepted what we showed him and what work needed to be done. He didn't make any promises but it did come as a blow, particularly for the school.
"I am going to press the case as hard as I can as I did with Bloxwich Academy which I eventually secured the funding for."
Mr Winnick was informed of the decision to reject the application by the Lichfield Diocesan Board of Education who run the school.
They said: "We were unsuccessful in our capital funding bid to tackle the many problems with the School buildings.
"I am sure you will realise the disappointment this is to the school and diocese in its efforts to best serve the pupils and staff of All Saints."
