MP questions future of Northern Powerhouse schools strategy after cabinet shake up

Bradford academy chain boss Sir Nick Weller was commissioned to develop a Northern Powerhouse Schools Strategy by the former Chancellor George Osborne and Education Secretary Nicky Morgan.

However as both cabinet ministers are no longer in post Bradford East MP Imran Hussain has written to the Department for Education (DfE) to ask whether the strategy is continuing. Justine Greening was appointed the new Education Secretary last week.

A DfE spokesman told The Yorkshire Post last week it was too early to comment on the future of the strategy.

The Northern Schools Powerhouse strategy was announced by Mr Osborne, in the Budget in March. The idea came amid warnings that the school system was becoming divided with too many secondary schools in the North and Midlands lagging behind much of the south.

Sir Nick, the chief executive of Dixons Academies Trust, in Bradford, is producing an interim report on the strategy for the Government today. He said that focus of his work would be looking at two areas: How can capacity for school improvement in the North be improved and how can results be improved?

Sir Nick said there was a need for more strong performing multi-academy trusts in the North of England. He also suggested more should be done to attract good teachers to the area and highlighted the impact of Teach First – a charity which encourages and trains top graduates to work in schools in challenging areas – has had in London.