Nick Gibb was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Education in July 2014. His responsibilities include overseeing recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders, including initial teacher training, qualifications, and professional development.

The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP visited Queen Katharine Academy to witness first-hand the significant improvements that have been made at the school since it joined Thomas Deacon Education Trust (TDET) in January 2017. Since joining the Trust, the academic results at the school have improved and in 2020, the academy was rated ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted.

The Minister’s visit was also attended by MP for Peterborough, Paul Bristow, and Chief Executive of TDET, Julie Taylor. The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP spoke with several students and staff and was given a guided tour around the academy, while discussing best practice and local issues.

Lynn Mayes, Principal of Queen Katharine Academy, said: “It was an honour to welcome The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP to our academy and I would like to thank Paul Bristow MP and Jonathan Lewis for their unwavering support. The visit was a fantastic opportunity for our staff and students to show off the high-quality teaching, learning and support that makes our academy such an inclusive centre of educational excellence.”

Julie Taylor, Chief Executive of Thomas Deacon Education Trust (TDET), said: “We could not be prouder of Queen Katharine Academy’s achievements and it was a pleasure to show The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP the transformation that has taken place at the academy over the last few years. As Chief Executive of TDET, it was also a pleasure to demonstrate the amazing things that can happen when local schools and their communities come together to support one another. It is a proud moment for Peterborough."