There is has been much comment in the Echo in recent days about the results of St. Aldhelm’s Academy.

As the MP for this part of Poole I know the school and its surrounding area well.

I have worked very closely with the new principal Cheryl Heron and her management team in the last year. Indeed in the run up to Christmas I visited the Academy on four successive Fridays to offer my support in a variety of ways. Only last week I met the Bishop of Salisbury, whose diocese is the sponsor of St Aldhelm’s, to talk about how we could support the school.

It is important to remember that these results reflect the education of young people who had only 18 months of their total education under Academy status. The rest of their education was in a school in local authority control – a school that was as far back as April 2008 given notice to improve by Ofsted.

Under the new leadership, attendance is improving and the atmosphere in the school is transformed.

I and others are determined to do all we can to support this school and the young people who go there. That is why I held meetings with Ministers at the Department for Education that helped secure the £11.1million for new buildings and other improvements.

Cheryl Heron has a proven track record in turning failure to excellence and I am sure with the right support from the local community she will do the same for this very challenging part of the constituency I am proud to serve.

I thought this was best summed up by the young student, Jamie Palmer, quoted in the Echo who said, “My mum told me Ms Heron had turned her old school from rubbish to great so that is why I came here. I think it’s really good.”

If everyone gives the school proper support I am sure the school will soon deserve the title as one of the most improved schools in England.

Conor Burns MP Bournemouth West