Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Gibb and Henry Smith

Monday 11th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)]

As I have said, we have written to local authorities to say that they should take the best interests of children into account when determining which year group summer-born children go into. It is important that children who start school immature or with other special educational needs get the support they need, and our schools are providing that support.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

Broadfield House in my constituency was, sadly, the site of the first free school to be closed by the Department for Education, and the building has remained empty for far too long. Will my right hon. Friend assure me that the building will be brought back into educational or at least community use in the near future?

[Nick Gibb]

That is an example of our taking swift action when an academy or free school is not working—that was why it was closed swiftly. I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss the future of that site.