PARENTAL engagement and proof of demand is needed to help deliver a new school in north Hampshire.

That’s the call from North East Hampshire MP Ranil Jayawardena who has launched a consultation to get feedback and opinions to secure a new secondary school for the area.

The school would cover Basingstoke and Deane, Hart district and the borough of Rushmoor, areas which have some of the best primary schools in the country and is above average for traditional indicators of success.

However, the MP says achievement rates have been consistently below the England average for five or more A*-C GCSEs including English and maths across north Hampshire’s state-funded secondary schools.

The MP believes that delivering a new secondary school will give children in his constituency access to the best possible education.

Mr Jayawardena said: “Our children deserve the best start in life—regardless of where they live or what their families can afford.

“As someone who was lucky enough to get a good education locally in Hook and at Robert May’s in Odiham, I am excited to promote a new secondary school that will give more local children that chance—and help improve other local schools too.”

Recent figures showed that only six of nineteen secondary schools in north Hampshire were at or above the national average by Progress 8—the new benchmark GCSE results are judged.

Mr Jayawardena added: “People keep telling me the same thing—they want choice and they want a tailored education for their children—not simply to increase standards across schools, but to provide a rigorous education that will put our future generations in a position to succeed in the jobs of tomorrow.

“If you agree that we need a new school, whether because you want more choice for your child, more school places locally or more academic rigour in education, then we need you to say so.”

To give feedback, go to ranil.uk/school.