Northumberland Cabinet Member for Inspiring Young People, Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson, says Northumberland Conservatives should be judged on their record on education and children as we head into the local elections in May.
He says, “What we inherited from Labour in 2017 was nothing short of catastrophic. Northumberland Children’s Services had just been judged as ‘Requires Improvement’ by OFSTED and a quarter of schools in the county were judged as ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’. These aren’t just words in a Government report. They represent thousands of children being failed by the system that is supposed to be supporting and educating them at the most important part of their lives.
Fast forward to today. Our Children’s Services directorate has been rated ‘Outstanding’, with the OFSTED report stating senior staff have a shared vision with political leaders and across the whole council to make things better for children and their families. 94% of our schools are rated ‘Good’ or better and for the first time in history no schools in Northumberland are judged as ‘Inadequate’. I lead a service where we endeavour to make sure no child is left behind.
These achievements don’t happen by themselves, they’re a direct result of our interventions and policy over the last 8 years.
114 of our schools are still under direct council control then we have 61 academies. Rather than ignore our academies like other councils do we have made a real effort to engage and build relationships with our academy schools for the good of all children. We have also put more cash into our school improvement team to help school leaders drive results.
We set up our award winning ‘Family Hubs’ across the county which support families and babies at the earliest opportunity, providing help within their communities and giving them the best start in life.
Finally, working with the former Conservative Government we have engaged in an aggressive school buildings program which is unrivalled in England. Since 2017, £360 million has been spent or committed on new or upgraded buildings. From £2.65 million in Haltwhistle Primary to £50 million for the new Northumberland Collage in Ashington, every corner of our county will see transformational investment in their children. In Berwick, we are the first council in decades to grasp the nettle and say enough is enough, the school situation needs to change and we are putting our money where our mouth is to make it happen.
So as we head into the polls in May, ask yourselves who you trust with the future of your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews? Labour with their record of failure. Reform who have no experience or any local policies at all. Or your Northumberland Conservatives team who have transformed the lives of our children for the better.
