It was a huge pleasure to welcome the Schools Minister, Damian Hinds to Chelmsford this week when we visited Boswell’s School. The Minister had come to find out more about school attendance and the Private Members Bill that I have been leading in Parliament.
Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in children missing out on school. This has been happening in countries all across the world. It is particularly worrying as even a tiny drop in school attendance can have long lasting consequences for children and young people.
As a mum, I always wanted my children to have a wide range of choices available to them about what they could do in their future. 14 years ago, when today’s school leavers were in reception one in three of Chelmsford’s schools were not even good. Now, every single school in the Chelmsford constituency is good or outstanding, and our nation’s children are ranked as the best readers in the western world.
Today’s young people have a huge range of choices, including moving on towards the new T Levels as well as A Levels, apprenticeships, and applying for university. But, to have those options, they need to secure five good GCSEs, including Maths and English.
At Boswells School, the staff analysed last years’ GCSE data. 82% the students that attended between 95% and 100% of lessons achieved those five good GCSEs. However, only 68% of the students that have attended between 90-90% of the time got these key grades. In all other areas, except for attendance, these student groups, were identical.
This small drop in attendance is the difference between less than 6 children in a class of 30 not getting their good grades, and nearly 10 of them missing these grades.
At Boswells, we heard how the school offers a huge range of different GCSEs so that every student can study some subjects they really love. We met with the classes studying music tech and art, as well as the A Level Law group who have just come third in the country at a major competition. We heard how the school works to support children with mental health or anxiety.
In Westminster, I have been working with leaders and experts including the national Children’s Commissioner, Action for Children, and other children’s charities. There can be multiple, complex reasons why children are absent from school.
My Private Member’s Bill will mean every local authority will have to use their services to help remove the barriers faced by some children, like access to SEND support, mental health support or transport issues, and every school in the country will need to publish a detailed attendance policy. It received unanimous cross-party support from all MPs in its second reading in Parliament. To become law, it now needs to go through a committee and third reading stage.
I absolutely understand some of the pressures on families to take time off for family holidays in term time as this can be much cheaper. During the week I also met with all the Mid and South Essex Secondary School heads to discuss the possibility of varying term times which may help families avoid only having peak season options. This is not simple to implement especially for families with children at multiple schools, but I will continue to press this and investigate what solutions may be practicable.
In Chelmsford, I have also been concerned about the planning application for a massive development of multiple warehouses just off the A12 near Great Baddow & Sandon. It is just outside the Chelmsford constituency boundaries, but many of my constituents have written to me concerned about the potential impact on traffic, noise, and the environment.
Readers will know that MPs do not have a legal say on planning applications. Hence why I do not usually comment on planning applications. However, given the magnitude of this proposal and the fact that it is clearly not appropriate at this site, Sir John Whittingdale MP and I have written to Chelmsford City Council to set out our concerns regarding this application.
I also met with Lauryn, the landlord of the Riverside Inn. Local residents nearby are concerned about plans to build over 70 homes on the car park opposite, this could add to traffic issues in a part of town that is often very congested. The Riverside Inn is one of Chelmsford’s listed buildings. It is also a friendly, relaxed pub, with excellent food and a lovely terrace overlooking the river, it is well worth popping into for a drink or a bite to eat.
I have also been very busy in Parliament. I always try to use my voice to raise issues that affect local people as well as national or international matters. I was recently sent data showing I have been one of the top ten most active MPs on our green benches in Parliament so far this year such as asking questions of Ministers and participating in debates.
I am also one of the few MPs to sit on two select committees, for Education and for Energy Security and Net Zero. These are both matters that affect many of my constituents. This week both select committees took evidence from ministers, firstly on the university marking boycott which affected so many students last summer and secondly on our long term plans for secure, affordable and clean electricity generation.
I have been out and about across Chelmsford knocking on doors and delivering my safety survey. I have been working with our Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst. Feedback from local residents has helped me to press for more street patrols in the City Centre, which has led to many successful arrests to reduce drug-dealing and shoplifting as well as in tackling anti-social behaviour.
Across Essex, serious violence and neighbourhood crime have dropped considerably over the past five years and police officer numbers are at a record high. My survey will help me to make sure that the police focus on the issues that concern the public. Thank you to everyone who has filled out my survey, your feedback is invaluable. If you haven’t yet filled it in and would like to, you can find it on my website. www.vickyford.uk
