TWO Minehead schools will share a £1.2 million grant to improve their classrooms and facilities, as part of the Government’s ’New Deal for Britain’, it was announced on Wednesday.

The money has been allocated to Minehead Middle and First schools as part of a £6.5m package which will help upgrade 16 schools in Somerset.

In total, £560 million is being provided for schools across the country to help the nation recover from coronavirus, in addition to the £1.4 billion of capital funding for 2020-21 already announced in April.

Minehead First School has been awarded £437k and Minehead Middle School £787k.

The schools will use the funding to replace and repair old flat and pitched roofing - both schools have suffered from water ingress and leaks over the years.

Barbara O’Keefe, Chief Operations Officer of West Somerset Academies Trust, who co-ordinated the Bids told the Free Press:“The Trust is delighted at the outcome of these bids.

“The £1.2million will be used to address some significant buildings issues at the schools and will better enable our trust to provide consistently warm, dry and safe teaching and learning environments for our children and staff.

“As part of the planned building work, full opportunity will be taken to remove asbestos and make to significant improvements to insulation and energy efficiencies.

“These projects will run on from the 2019/20 CIF bidding round, where the Trust was successful in bidding for window replacement programmes at Minehead Middle School and Danesfield Middle School”.

Paul Rushforth, chief executive officer of the trust said: “The time and effort that the trust has put in to bid-writing has come to fruition. I am delighted at this outcome - this additional investment will help us in our drive to further improve outcomes for the children in our schools”.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Investing in our school and college buildings helps create modern environments that lend themselves to great teaching, making sure every child has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“The funding will ensure that schools have well-maintained facilities to provide students with safe environments that support a high-quality education.”

Local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, said the allocations would make a huge difference to educational provision at both Minehead schools.

“I know they have the benefit of really dedicated staff who have been doing their best to deliver high-quality education but in surroundings which are overdue forimprovement,” he said.

“This money will enable that situation to be corrected and make the task of delivering world-class education to local children more achievable.

“Investing in schools and education was a key Conservative promise during last year’s General Election,and a total of £2 billion has been allocated to improve our schools this year.

“I am particularly pleased that two thoroughly deserving local cases have been singled out to benefit.”