Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Oral Answer of the Minister for School Standards on 10 September 2018, Official Report, column 456, how much funding was allocated from the public purse to improve (a) teaching, (b) resources and (c) the school estate at Whitehaven Academy.

To date, the department has provided a package of support in the rebrokerage of The Whitehaven Academy which includes the full sponsored rebrokerage tariff of £150,000; environmental improvement grant of £80,000 and emergency strategic school improvement fund of £73,600. We are committed to supporting Cumbria Education Trust (CET) to ensure they can drive forward teaching and resource improvements at The Whitehaven Academy when they formally take on the school.

The department is also making a substantial capital investment, to give a much needed fresh start for all at The Whitehaven Academy. The project will see the majority of the existing school buildings demolished and rebuilt, and will be delivered by the department, with CET involved throughout the design and construction phase.