MINEHEAD MP Rachel Gilmour has expressed an urgent need to address “shortcomings in education” in her constituency and across the country.

Tiverton High School has been promised a rebuild since 1999, and having now received confirmation of the school’s inclusion in the Government’s Phase Two of the Schools Rebuilding Programme, Mrs Gilmour (Liberal Democrats, Tiverton and Minehead) has now pushed for a specific date by which shovels would be hitting the soil.

She has also underlined the gaps in sixth form provision in the constituency, with only West Somerset College and Petroc, in Mid Devon, providing further education. Students, however, can also choose to pursue other education opportunities in Exeter, Taunton, or Bridgwater.

Mrs Gilmour explained to the Secretary of State how this situation is compounded by the inadequacy of public transport connectivity in her predominantly rural area. In painting the local picture, Mrs Gilmour made the case for the Government to consider the establishment of further sixth form facilities and has offered to facilitate a meeting between stakeholders.

The MP also criticised the state of special educational needs (SEN) provision across the constituency. Delays to EHCP rollout occurred on 95 per cent of occasions in Devon and in 58 per cent of cases in Somerset. She has sought to identify whether there was any appetite to explore the upgrading of empty school property into functional SEN-capable sites.

Mrs Gilmour said: “It is clear that swift action must be taken to address the many shortcomings in education provision in Tiverton and Minehead. And so, I am glad that my engagements with the Secretary of State for Education have been constructive thus far.

“Of course, I recognise that I have presented a long list of requests, however, in the interest of raising the education standards and outcomes for my constituents, I will make no apologies for asking for as much.”