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

Jeremy Quin Visits Kingslea Primary School

On Friday I popped into Kingslea Primary School to chat to Mr Conway and to look around the school.

It was lovely to see the Reception class getting ready for Easter- all were very excited about the Easter Bunny’s imminent visit!

Jeremy Quin Visits QEII School

It was great to visit QEII School in Horsham to see their new classrooms and playgrounds and then renovations that have taken place across the site. The school does such incredible work with children and I am delighted to see this expansion.

 

School Allocations

Last week, parents were informed by West Sussex County Council of the secondary school their child had been allocated. The vast majority were allocated a space at one of their three preferred choices, a very large number at their first choice.

Southwater Secondary School Allocations

After hearing the results of the school admissions process I spent most of Friday speaking to the County Education department and the Heads of all our local secondary schools.  I then joined the regular Horsham District Councillors and Southwater Parish Councillors Surgery in Southwater on Saturd

Bohunt Horsham Students Visit Parliament

Lovely to see Bohunt Horsham students in Parliament today (including talking about getting the school- literally- off the ground!)

 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Quin with students from Bohunt Horsham in Parliament.

Jeremy Quin Visits Ingfield Manor School

At the end of last year, Ingfield Manor School opened a new classroom “Woodview” for children with social and communication special educational needs. It was great to be able to visit Woodview on Friday and see the new facility and speak to students and staff.

Jeremy Quin Visits Rudgwick School

I was delighted to visit Rudgwick Primary School and enjoyed meeting Head Mr Ryan, staff and pupils.

 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Quin with Mr Ryan and students.