Since 1997, the Labour Government has continued to invest hugely in our schools. For example, it is extending free nursery education to 2-year-olds and building on the £144 million already allocated to provide support to children in primary schools at risk of falling behind.
As part of efforts to support people through the recession, spending on school buildings and repairs is being brought forward from 2010 to 2009. Hundreds of millions of pounds (£919 million in total) are being made available to local authorities and headteachers across the country a year early. Islington gets the 5th highest funding of the 149 local authorities in England.
Already the Building Schools for the Future programme means all of Islington’s secondary schools are being either substantially or entirely rebuilt. There are also 16 Sure Start Children’s Centres in Islington, which provide early education and childcare and support for parents.
In 2006 I visited primary schools in my constituency to talk about the Marine Bill and listen to what pupils thought about the need to preserve our seas and marine life. Click here to read about my recent visit to Hungerford School to collect pupils’ letters to Gordon Brown. This year I worked with Islington’s Labour councillors to pass a budget – opposed by the Liberal Democrat council leadership – granting free school meals to all primary and nursery schoolchildren, which should save a two-child family around £600 per year.
Despite this progress there is still much more to do. As the local MP, I am working to make sure more is done to support children and their families.
