Schooling can open a world of opportunity

Students across the country have now received their A-Level results and are busy making important decisions about their future. However, the nervous wait continues for a few more days for those awaiting their GCSE grades. I would like to send my best wishes to all those in Hastings and Rye who are receiving their results this year.
From House to Home with Amber Rudd MP SUS-160526-130924001From House to Home with Amber Rudd MP SUS-160526-130924001
From House to Home with Amber Rudd MP SUS-160526-130924001

From nursery through to school, college and university, it is vital that our education system provides the opportunities students need to make the most of their talents and abilities.

For some, this will mean higher education and studying for a degree. UK universities have a global reputation and positions at the top of international league tables. I am pleased that the Government is committed to driving up standards of teaching still further. As well as recognising which universities offer the highest quality teaching, the Teaching Excellence Framework will also give students better information to help them choose the course that is right for them and where they are likely to receive the best outcomes.

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For others, technical education is the route which best meets their skills and ambitions. Over £500 million is being invested per year to create fifteen technical education routes to skilled employment. These new T-levels will include a high-quality work placement and they will ensure that young people receive qualifications which meet the needs of employers.

Both of these paths begin in school. So it is vital that our school system provides students with the best possible start in life.

For schools in our area I am working with government and local partners developing an action plan to deliver the improvements we want to see. This is part of the Opportunity Area programme for Hastings, announced by the Department for Education earlier this year, which gives us and the other eleven areas across England access to a £72m pot of additional funding to tackle specific local social mobility issues.

Already, as part of this programme, Ark Blacklands Primary Academy has been chosen by the Government to join the Research Schools network. It has been awarded £200,000 over three years to further improve the quality of teaching in our area through working with other local schools to share best practise on the use of research in teaching and education. Local pupils aged 11-18 will also receive better preparation for entering the world of work, and all Hastings secondary schools and Sussex Coast College will have access to additional advice on their careers programmes and building relationships with local businesses.

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As we are seeing this week, schooling and education can open up a world of opportunities, allowing young people to go as far as their talents will take them. As your Member of Parliament, I am determined that our local schools have the specific support they need to ensure that this continues for the years to come.