Helston College success – George congratulates students, staff and Governors

Andrew George and Donna Bryant, Head of Helston Community College

 

Local MP and former student, Andrew George, has said that Helston Community College would not have succeeded without spirited staff, stoical students, the determination of former Head Pat McGovern and the hard work of Governors.

Mr George worked very closely with the College Head and Governors and took two delegations to see Schools Minister David Laws in the Department for Education.

Mr George said, “Of course I appreciate that both Pat (McGovern) and now Donna (Bryant) have expressed their thanks for my efforts to advance and advocate the case of the College in Whitehall, but I must say that it is they, the magnificent and stoical students, the remarkably resilient staff and the committed and hard-working Governors who deserve the plaudits.”

“CRUEL HOAX”

Andrew added:

“On top of having to endure completely unacceptable teaching and learning conditions the school have also been let down twice. First when the new Conservative Education Secretary pulled the rug under the previous Government’s ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme in 2010, and which would have resulted in a C Block rebuild. And second was the cruel hoax of a promise made by the outgoing Conservative led Council in 2013 when it promised to rebuild C Block without having identified where the money was going to come from*.

“However, this announcement is part of a budgeted more than £2bn programme which has now gone through all of its hurdles. I’ve taken Pat (McGovern) and Governors to meet Ministers and officials in the Department twice in last two years and I’ve kept Helston’s bid in their minds by raising its profile in the House of Commons.

“After so many disappointments, false dawns and having been so cruelly mislead, I’m really delighted that my old school is getting what it richly deserves.”

* For more detail about the offer made to Helston Community College which had to be withdrawn because the finances weren’t in place please speak to Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder Independent Cllr Andrew Wallis