Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Archdiocese of Southwark on the diocese's decision to (a) remove foundational governors from the Governing Board of The John Fisher School in Purley and (b) to cancel the visit of an LGBT+ author from visiting that school; and what discussion he has had with the diocese to encourage it to engage with meditation with that school.

The department is working with the Archdiocese, the Catholic Education Service, and the local authority to agree a way forward to ensure continuing stable governance and pupil education at John Fisher School in Purley.

The governing body and the National Education Union entered talks mediated by the Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service with the aim of halting further disruption to pupils’ education. Agreement was reached and there is no further planned industrial action at the school.