Meet our local hero, minister

EDUCATION Minister Diana Johnson MP visited Crowfoot Primary School in Beccles yesterday to see the running of a primary school in a market town.

Ms Johnson was invited to the school in Ellough Road by Waveney MP Bob Blizzard, who was keen to show her the work of David Baker as federated head at both Crowfoot and Beccles Middle School.

And Mr Blizzard branded Mr Baker a “local hero” in raising the standards of the schools.

Ms Johnson and Mr Blizzard were taken on a tour of the school by Mr Baker, including the classrooms and the outside space that has been developed as part of the learning environment.

They finished the tour with a school lunch.

“I get to lots of different places but I wanted to see a primary school in a small market town to see how things are going,” said MP Johnson. “It's been a real pleasure and I've had a lovely school lunch. I've got responsibility for school food and I wanted to try it.”

Ms Johnson reserved special praise for the school's outdoor area, and said that she was particularly impressed with the one-to-one tuition offered to struggling pupils at the schools.

Mr Baker is in the rare position of being headteacher of both a primary school and a middle school, and Mr Blizzard wanted to highlight his good work.

“I wanted Diana to see what David had been doing,” he said. “He's driving up standards at both schools, which I think is absolutely remarkable. He's a local boy and to me he's a local hero.

“This part of Beccles has got more deprivation than other areas in my constituencies so there's a challenge there and his school is meeting that challenge.”

Ms Johnson is parliamentary under-secretary for the department for children, schools and families, and is Labour MP for Kingston Upon Hull North.