Catherine McKinnell MP Visits Newcastle Bridges School

On Thursday, 6^th November, Catherine McKinnell, Member of Parliament for Newcastle North, visited the Newcastle Bridges School, Kenton provision.

Guided by Headteacher Kevin Stafford, Catherine was given a tour of the building and facilities, including classrooms and specialist support areas.

She then participated in a question-and-answer session with some of the pupils, where they asked her insightful and probing questions about current issues in SEND provision as well as some of the hot political topics of the day. This was an opportunity for Catherine to learn more about the pupils' perspectives on attending an alternative provision school, and they appreciated the opportunity she afforded them to ask questions of their local MP.

Commenting on the visit, Catherine said: "It was lovely to be welcomed to Newcastle Bridges School. Throughout the visit, the students were kind and thoughtful - they asked some challenging questions too! The school is a fantastic learning environment, and it is clear how committed the staff are to giving the students the very best start in life. It was good to discuss the challenges of SEND education in the North East, and I will continue to support the school as they work hard to give every child a great education."

Later, Catherine met with Chief Executive Officer, Chris Richardson, to discuss wider SEND issues in Newcastle, especially pertaining to funding and place planning.

Chris said of Catherine's visit: "It was a great pleasure to host Catherine's visit to Newcastle Bridges School, and I know that the pupils and staff really appreciated it. It was a rare and important opportunity for the young people involved to meet and interact with somebody who can genuinely influence their futures and who represents their interests in parliament. I know from my own experience that Catherine is a strong and consistent advocate for the rights of SEND pupils and for education more widely in Newcastle and the North East."