Supporting Local Schools

Jeremy is a great supporter of our local schools. He regularly visits schools in the constituency and enjoys meeting teachers and students to discuss a range of topics.  

Our area is rightly very proud of the quality of our local schools and teaching - and of the successes of local students.  Local Schools and Colleges have an enviable reputation and standards are high.  While there is further to go it was particularly pleasing to see a significant improvement in local primaries’ Key Stage 2 results (and some terrific individual results) as this has been a comparatively weak area across the county as a whole.

Higher funding is only one of many elements that drive educational success but ensuring schools get the right resources is incredibly important.  The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies has found that real terms per pupil funding for 5 to 16 year olds in 2020 will be more than 50 per cent higher than it was in 2000 and the OECD’s (2015) statistics suggest that the UK appears to spend the highest percentage of its GDP on institutions delivering primary and secondary education compared to other G7 countries.  It is right that we invest heavily in education and it is important that schools on a comparative basis get their fair share.

Virtually the first meeting Jeremy conducted when he was first-elected as an MP in 2015 was with the then Education Secretary to demand that the Government honour the Conservative Manifesto commitment to introduce fairer and more transparent funding for schools.

Jeremy, alongside West Sussex MPs, campaigned hard on this issue regularly meeting with local Headteachers and Ministers and holding Parliamentary debates to fight for increased resources for local schools, 

Jeremy was delighted that, as a result of months of campaigning, the Government brought forward changes to the funding mechanism, resulting in a transparent formula aimed at ensuring that every pupil anywhere in England with the same characteristics would be moved towards receiving the same funding (adjusted for local costs).

This was a real victory for our schools and as a direct result our schools are seeing real increases in their funding.  Jeremy was particularly pleased to see a minimum per pupil funding guarantee.  He had demanded this in Education Questions and in PMQs and its delivery directly helped local secondary schools: who received an average funding boost of 11 per cent.

However, Jeremy does recognises that costs have also increased, often beyond the additional specific funding support provided by the department on issues such as teachers pay and pensions, Jeremy has continued to meet with Headteachers to discuss their funding concerns.  In particular he has focussed on “High Needs” funding.  Jeremy and local MPs met the Education Secretary to press for progress on this issue twice before a significant funding increase (of £250m over two years) was announced to support this critical area and in doing so help every school support every pupil.  Jeremy has since met County and Heads to discuss how best this funding (and the promise of capital support) can be deployed.

Please see below for updates from Jeremy on our schools:

News

Forest School Fit for the Future

It was a particular pleasure on Friday to spend the morning at The Forest School.  With the support of teachers, governors, parents and staff, Headteacher Ian Straw is taking Forest through a significant transformation.

Jeremy Quin Visits Northolmes Junior School

Great to see the team at Northolmes Junior School and to answer questions from the year five students.

 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Quin and students at Northolmes Junior School.

Celebrating Exam Success

Over the last few weeks GCSE, A Level, BTEC and T Level students have been receiving their results. 

Results day can be a hugely exciting time and heralds the start of a new chapter; I wish all those who received their results the very best with their future endeavours. 

GCSE Results Day

Congratulations to students who are today receiving their GCSE results.

I know our young people have had a disrupted few years at school and that despite these challenging times, young people have worked really hard to catch up and try their very best.

A Level and T Level Results Day

Congratulations to all those students who are today picking up their A Level and T Level results. These results will mean that many are able to take their next steps whether that be going to university in September, starting an apprenticeship or entering the world of work.

Getting School Places Right

Over the last four years we have had some good news in terms of new school building in the area. Bohunt, Woodgate and Kilnwood Vale Primary Schools have all been built in their respective developments.

End of Term

This week schools are breaking up for the long summer holiday. Throughout the academic year I have visited a number of primary and secondary schools across the constituency from Ardingly to Warnham.

Jeremy Quin Visits Arunside School

Lovely to visit Arunside Primary School where I had an engaging session with year 5 students who have been learning about Parliament and democracy.