Skills Minister Anne Milton has praised the turnaround of King George V College, which has completed a merger to help transform educational opportunities across the constituency.
King George V has gone from an inadequate Ofsted rating to one of Good thanks to the dedication and hard work of the staff, including KGV Acting Principal, Anne-Marie Francis.
The College has now completed a merger with Southport College and looks set to flourish thanks in part to a £6m loan and grant from the Department for Education.
The merged College’s two sites will retain their identities as Southport College and King George V College but will work together to share ideas and offer a comprehensive range of post-16 educational courses for the local community.
Mrs Milton, the Minister of State for Skills and Apprenticeships, was invited to meet with staff, including Anne-Marie Francis, John Clarke, the Principal of Southport College and newly appointed Chair of the merged College Ronnie Fell, by the town’s MP, Damien Moore.
She said: “It was great to be there on the day the merger finally happened. I know everyone has put a lot of work into this and look forward to seeing it going from strength to strength. I was so impressed by the enthusiasm of the students, who are a credit to themselves and the College."
Thanking the Minister for attending, Damien said: “I was delighted to welcome Anne up to Southport today.
“This merger will be a fantastic boost for the region, helping to drive up educational standards and creating more opportunities across the local community.”
