Last Friday, I took a morning out of my busy schedule to talk to the children of Filby Primary School about my love and passion for reading as part of World Book Day. I met with a large group of pupils all dressed as characters from their favourite books. I spoke to them about my love of reading and had the oportunity to read them some stories. I read the pupils a range of stories including “Captain Flynn and the Pirate
I couldn’t miss the opportunity of getting behind the controls of a JCB to cut the first sod as construction work starts for the building of the Nexus Centre in the Beacon Park. This £700,000 engineering skills centre, for 14-19 year olds, is a major project for East Consortium a group of local schools and colleges in the Great Yarmouth area. Boosted by government funding for vocational education the centre will provide training and apprenticeship
This week the economic news is focussed on the disappointing growth figures for the last quarter of 2011. This triggered a flurry of expert and some not-so-expert advice for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider. Some advocate quick fixes that will grab the newspaper headlines but not necessarily make in long-term difference to our economy. Today, leading political website, Conservative Home, has published my article outlining why economic growth is about more than what
Last Friday, I visited Greenacre Primary School, in order to meet with the new Head Teacher Bill Holledge. I discussed a number of issues; but focused on the challenges the school faced and ways to improve standards in the school. I also had the opportunity to meet with a group of twenty pupils from Year Six. During this meeting I explained to the pupils what being a Member of Parliament was like. I also answered a number
I was delighted to open the new offices for Sims Systems following their move from smaller premises in Lowestoft. The company make navigational aids, standby power systems and explosion proof enclosures for the marine and offshore energy sectors. During a tour of the new site, I saw some of the latest technology used in the offshore industry and met with apprentices to talk about how they are combining study and work. The newly announced Enterprise
Education will be the topic of conversation around the breakfast table this Friday as over 15 head teachers join me to discuss education policy over bacon and eggs at the Furzedown Hotel in Great Yarmouth. The Head teachers hail from a diverse range of schools within the Great Yarmouth area; including several secondary school heads as well as many infant and primary heads. At this meeting I will be hearing their views about the Government’s
Caister Infant School has some great facilities and I was able to see just how good these were when given a tour of the school by headteacher Brendan McCarney. I always appreciate teachers taking time out of their busy schedules to show me around, as it is important to establish close links with schools across the constituency so pupils and teaching staff are willing and able to contact me on educational matters. We had an
New figures published this week show that disadvantaged children in Great Yarmouth are set to receive £1,059,000 this year under the Coalition Government’s new ‘pupil premium’. The pupil premium is a new policy promised by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats before the General Election last year. It is an extra lump sum of cash which follows every disadvantaged child and is received by schools, allowing them to provide additional support such as one-to-one
We have some really bright and articulate students in Great Yarmouth and whenever I visit the local secondary schools or colleges, I always get a serious grilling on a range of topics. Last autumn, many wrote or visited me to discuss the changes to the Educational Maintenance Allowance as a result of the government’s spending review. They were all passionate advocates for their cause, putting across their case for retaining the current system. At the
Brandon Lewis