Over 600 people from the Bexley Grammar School community have signed the petition to save the International Baccalaureate after the Government unexpectedly announced funding for the curriculum would end.
Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French is standing up for pupils, parents, and teachers to protect Bexley Grammar School. He's raised the issue in Parliament, brought the Shadow Education Secretary to meet pupils and school leaders, and has written to the Education Secretary following the petition, urging her to reverse the cuts.
In his letter, Louie French MP said: "I am writing to urge you to reverse your decision to scrap funding for the International Baccalaureate (IB), which will impact pupils studying at Bexley Grammar School in my constituency. Over 600 parents, pupils, and staff signed my petition urging you to cancel your proposed cut to the Large Programme Uplift, which funds state schools to teach the IB curriculum.
"The IB has long been recognised for its academic rigour, global outlook, and emphasis on independent thinking. It prepares young people for an increasingly international and interconnected world Bexley Grammar School is one of the few state schools in the country that focus solely on IB teaching, and is one of the 19 schools in England that will be affected by your proposed cut. Unless reversed, your decision is going to cause significant disruption to the education of these Bexley pupils as well as more than 5,000 pupils nationwide."
