PRIMARY school pupils quizzed an MP when he visited the school to see the pupils’ achievements first hand.

Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown was invited to Hillesley CEVA Primary School to see the importance of the school to the community and to look at how ongoing financial pressures could affect the school.

He was shown around by headteacher Jayne Pedley and got the chance to meet pupils and staff on his visit which was especially important given the upcoming Ministers Special Briefing on the National Funding Formula for Schools.

The visit came after a ‘Good’ OFSTED report for the school, and an ‘Outstanding’ SIAMS report (an inspection carried out solely at Church of England schools).

During the visit, Mr Clifton-Brown observed a sports lesson and listened to two presentations by the pupils. This was followed by a short but varied question and answer session where Mr Clifton-Brown answered on topics from his typical day to his family background.

Speaking after his visit Mr Clifton-Brown said: “I very much enjoyed my visit to Hillesley Primary School. Two of the pupils gave me fantastic presentations about the activities of the school.

“I was also glad to discuss the important issue of education funding, and the fact that Gloucestershire is one of the lowest funded education authorities in the country. This is an issue which I have been campaigning on for some time, and one which a number of schools have contacted me with concerns about. I have already raised this with the Schools Minister, Sam Gyimah MP, and will do so again.

“I was delighted that the Prime Minister confirmed that additional £390 million funding for schools in low funded areas would continue and I hope that a fairer National Funding Formula is not in the too distant future.”

Headteacher, Jayne Pedley, added: “We wanted to let Mr Clifton-Brown see for himself the ways in which small rural schools operate and how important the school is to the local and wider community.”

The school will be holding an open day on Saturday, September 26. For more details visit: http://www.hillesleyprimary.com/