When I decided to stand for election to Parliament back in 2019, one of the biggest driving factors for me was education. As the parent of a son going through secondary school, I want him and every other child to have the best possible start in life which will set them up for success in their adult years. And as a Member of Parliament, I’ve been determined to use my position to make a positive difference for teachers and schoolchildren in Warrington South however best I can.
Anyone who follows my social media will know I regularly post about my weekly visits to schools across the constituency. It not only provides an opportunity to teach a bit about Parliament and the work I do as an MP, but more importantly it is invaluable time spent with headteachers to get a rundown on the school’s performance, teacher recruitment and curriculum. It is also an opportunity to make sure they know I am here to represent their needs to the Government and that they can turn to me with any issues I may be able to help with.
I recently met with the Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, where we discussed the amazing success of our local schools in their Ofsted inspections. Currently every school in Warrington South is rated either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ – to put that into perspective it means we’re not only outperforming schools nationally, where that figure is 89 percent, but it’s also up by 28 percent of Warrington South schools since 2010. That is a remarkable achievement and it’s a testament to the brilliant work of our teachers, as well as the Government’s reforms that are making such a massive difference to our children’s education.
This success has been reflected in our PISA rankings, the international assessment of 15-year-olds’ maths, reading and science ability. Last year the UK ranked 11th for maths and 13th for both reading and science. Compared with 2009’s results, the last before the Conservatives took office, that means we’ve risen three places for science, twelve places for reading and an incredible sixteen places for maths.
But as well as providing our children with a good education, it’s crucial for them to know there isn’t one set path once they leave school. University is a brilliant opportunity to not only further your academic learning, but it also encourages you to live independently away from home, meeting new people from all over the country (and indeed the world) some of whom remain your lifelong friends. I’m pleased that since 2010 the Government have made it easier for more people to enrol at university, regardless of background – ask any roomful of students now if they are the first in their family to go to university and I guarantee most would put their hands up.
Apprenticeships are another fantastic route into the world of work, with the opportunity to learn while you earn. I’m proud that we’ve seen a huge rise in the number apprenticeships since 2010, around 5.7million new starts of which over 13,000 are in Warrington South alone. We have some fantastic industries locally including nuclear and logistics, offering amazing apprenticeship schemes. Every apprentice from Warrington I’ve spoken with always tells me how rewarding they’ve found the experience, which is why it’s so important for young people still in school to know that these options are available to them.
I’ll be hosting my annual jobs and apprenticeships fair in April, where anyone either looking for work or an apprenticeship scheme can come and talk to local employers about what they have on offer. I’ll be sharing more details next month and on my Facebook page but in the meantime save the date: 19th April, 10am to 2pm at the Parr Hall in Palmyra Square. It could be a lifechanging opportunity.
As always, if I or my team can help with an issue please email [email protected]
