MP Priti Patel raises concerns over Maltings Academy Witham

Witham MP Dame Priti Patel raised concerns from constituents about Maltings Academy, in Spinks Lane, and the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) which runs the school, in the House of Commons.

It comes shortly after the MP visited the school in April alongside Lords Education Minister Baroness Diana Barran, to meet with the school’s leadership, parent representatives and pupils.

The academy was given a ‘requires improvement’ rating from Ofsted last year.

April visit - Left to right: Johanna Thompson, regional director at AET, Michelle Hughes, executive principal of Maltings Academy, Baroness Diana Barran, Minister for school systems and student finance, Priti Patel MP for Witham, and Leanne Abbott-Jones, Principal Designate of Maltings Academy (Image: MP Priti Patel)

Dame Priti told Minister for Schools Damian Hinds: "The Secretary of State is well aware of the issues we have with Academies Enterprise Trust and Maltings Academy in Witham town.

"He will know of the stories of children missing out on school time because of exclusion and bullying.

"Some are even self-harming.

"What assurance can he give to pupils and their families, who have very little choice as to which schools they go to locally, that their concerns will be heard and that they will have greater educational choice over which school their children go to?"

Mr Hinds said: "I know we have corresponded on this recently, and I know my right honourable friend is taking a close personal interest and has been involved directly and personally in multiple cases.

Area - a Street View image of Maltings Academy from Spinks Lane (Image: Google Maps)

“In my most recent letter, I am not sure if it will have arrived yet, I have said that we will as a department work with her.”

Speaking about the bullying and safeguarding concerns, Dame Patel said: “Pupils and parents in Witham deserve good and outstanding schools locally.

"I have been working with the Department for Education and Ofsted to make sure standards at our schools are at the high level that is rightly expected, and that the serious concerns raised with AET at Maltings Academy are addressed by the school, Academies Enterprise Trust and the Department for Education."

A Maltings Academy spokesman said: “Under new leadership, Maltings Academy is addressing areas of improvement.

Recent Ofsted inspections have confirmed that we are taking the right approach and that it is working.

"Even since November, we have seen a 35 per cent reduction in incidents of bullying, and behaviour is now improving.

"There is more work to be done, but everyone at Maltings and AET are committed to doing everything we can to ensure the school becomes, once again, a school the delivers the excellent education that our community deserves.

"We recently welcomed both Priti Patel and Education Minister Barran into school, and were pleased to be able to update them on the improvements we have made, and to share with them the positive feedback we are getting from our families."