Michael Gove visits PSC

Education Secretary Michael Gove visited Winchester on Monday 12th March and backed local MP Steve Brine's campaign to bring a new primary school to the city. Winchester faces a chronic shortage of primary places for September 2012 and a campaign has been launched to significantly increase the number of available places for local children. Mr Gove said: "Steve Brine is absolutely right to tackle the problem of primary places head on and build a consensus in Winchester that will deliver new permanent places to meet demand. "We have provided additional funds for this September to meet the shortfall across England but we want to see permanent solutions that can give parents and future parents absolute confidence in the system. "Through our free schools policy we have given communities, including Winchester, the tools needed to take control of the local situation and there is no reason why a free school in the city could not develop and prosper." The visit to Peter Symonds College highlighted the post-16 Maths courses offered at the college and the success it has had in students going onto study maths or maths-related courses at university. Read the full story at www.stevebrine.com/local-news.