Bulwell MP Graham Allen welcomes Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, to discuss education initiatives in Nottingham North

Graham Allen invited Nicky Morgan MP to Nottingham North to meet a group of secondary school head teachers at Basford Hall College, which is currently under construction.

The reason behind the visit was to tell Mrs Morgan about the excellent progress being made in secondary education as part of his Rebalancing the Outer Estates Foundation.

“It was a very positive meeting and offered an important opportunity for the heads to speak about the improvements,” said Mr Allen.

“Mrs Morgan was very impressed with what she heard during the day and it was a very positive meeting.”

Secondary schools in the Nottingham area came under heavy fire by Ofsted in 2013 when six of the 14 were put into ‘special measures’.

At the time, Mr Allen defended the schools and said what was needed was support for the area not criticism.

Since then he has been a man on a mission to help turn around the fortunes of his area’s youth by working in partnership with school leaders to reduce the young unemployed, improve their prospects and raise aspirations.

Nottingham North has 3,102 people out of work, this is the 10th highest of any constituency in the country. There is also 820 young people unemployed, the 8th highest in the country.

Mr Allen is hopeful that his Rebalancing the Outer Estates Foundation will help bring jobs and prosperity to Nottingham North.

“Rebalancing will hopefully provide the opportunities and skills that our kids desperately need,” he added. “We will help by using the rebuilt Basford Hall College as a centre for skills, putting a full time careers advisor in every school, bidding to bring the Disadvantaged Learners scheme to Nottingham North creating jobs for local people.

“If we can achieve this then I am confident we can bring down those figures and give the people of Nottingham North something positive to shout about.”

The MP and his supporters are currently waiting to hear if their funding bid for £2million from central government has been successful.

“This money will help us fight back.”

A Jobs Fair is to be held next month at Bulwell’s Riverside Centre. More information will follow nearer the date.