Now that Covid restrictions have gone, I have the chance to resume visits and meetings with our local schools. I will never cease to be impressed by the commitment and dedication of all our schools and the work they do to give the next generation the best possible start in life.
Last Friday, I visited the Nexus Campus of Camborne Science and International Academy. The ‘Gifted Programme’ is unique in Cornwall and provides state-funded specialist education to young people with a particular talent for science and maths. During my visit, I met a number of students, some who had recently come into the school as well as others in the sixth form who were contemplating their next step to university. We discussed a wide range of issues including how the Covid lockdown had affected study, sport and friendships. Schools worked hard during the lockdown to try to offer online study and, while all schools will find there is some catching up to do, the remarkable thing is how resilient young people are and how quickly they have bounced back.
On Monday this week, Nadhim Zahawi, the Secretary of State for Education, announced the ‘Opportunity for All’ Schools White Paper that is setting out how the Government intends to level up education. Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks of world-class education, and the White Paper sets out key targets and pledges that the Government is seeking to achieve. These include having 90% of primary school children being expected to achieve Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths by 2030 and see the national average grade for GCSE English and Maths rise to 5 by 2030, from 4.5 in 2019.
These targets will be achieved through the introduction of several measures including requiring schools to offer a minimum of a 32.5-hour school week by September 2023 and increasing Ofsted inspections. These ambitious proposals are further expanded by the additional announcement that the Department for Health and the Department for Education will launch a new consultation with a view to developing a stronger national system for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), supporting teachers, parents and most importantly children. This will ensure that no child is left behind in our recovery from the Pandemic and we build back an education system stronger and more resilient than before.
The Opportunity for All White Paper and the new consultation for a stronger national system for children requiring SEND or alternate provision is further building on the announcement from February that Cornwall was one of the 55 areas in England selected as an Education Investment Area. These policies will make a real difference to children across the country.
Since I was first elected, I have made clear that regeneration and job creation have been my top priorities and that includes ensuring that we are opening new routes for people of all ages to learn new skills and enhance their productivity. As such, I look forward to seeing how these new policies will make a tangible difference for all our children in Cornwall, ensuring they have the best start in life.
