Supporting Schools and Improving Education
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Secured 4 school rebuilds, a brand new SEND school in Ravensdale, and worked to bring new education opportunities to our town
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Successfully campaigned for funding to re-open sports facilities often locked up behind gates at evenings and weekends
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Continuing to lead the debate in Parliament to increase the number of male role models in the classroom
Education is the key to our long term future and improving opportunities. We've made huge strides forward in education outcomes, and our area has been made a national priority area with additional funds and support. It's brilliant to see so much long overdue investment go into our schools.
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Since becoming Mansfield's MP we've become a university town with award winning Nottingham Trent University setting up a campus here working in partnership with West Notts College. West Notts College itself has also benefitted from Government funding for their new sixth for centre, and along with standards vastly improving, all this allows Mansfield to offer fantastic further and higher education opportunities.
Garibaldi, All Saints, Meden and Yeoman Park SEND school are to be rebuilt as part of a further Government programme of investment and the County Council are going further to increase capacity for SEND students by 160 places by investing £16m into building a brand new SEND school in Ravensdale.
In Nottinghamshire as a whole, 41 per cent of children with SEND live in Mansfield and Ashfield, so securing this new funding has been a priority since being elected as Mansfield's MP.
Oaktree Primary has been chosen to receive investment from Government as part of the Department for Education’s £456 million Conditions Improvement Fund.
In 2023, schools across Mansfield benefitted from their share of a £3 million uplift in funding, and 2024 was a record year of funding with over £96m allocated to our schools - which is the largest single Government investment our local education system has ever had!
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I've long campaigned to ensure that communities have more access to their sports facilities, with 50% of these across the country locked up behind school gates at evenings and weekends. Many schools, including those in Mansfield - like Manor Sports Centre - rightly prioritise funding for education instead of manning the building out of hours, so I'm pleased my campaigning has paid off, with a share of £57 million announced by Government coming to Mansfield in the near future to help achieve this.
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I'm a passionate campaigner for increasing the number of male teachers in our schools, particularly in Primary schools to help provide more male role models for boys - especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or difficult home lives. Out of nearly 17,000 primary schools in England, 3,240 have no male teachers on the payroll whatever. At an average of just under 300 pupils per school, that is nearly 1 million children with no male role model in their education setting at all.
As a former member of the Education Select Committee Education has been a major priority, including scrutiny and making formal recommendations through the Committee on issues like school funding and special educational needs (SEND). Improving standards and opportunities for local people is vital.
