Last week the Government announced it would be accepting the recommendations of the independent pay review body for many public sector workers. For teachers, this means it is offering a 6.5% increase in pay which has been accepted by all four of the teaching unions and will now be put back to their members. The likelihood is that this will bring an end to the strikes.
Over the winter months I have worked with members of the National Education Union and headteachers in West Berkshire and made representations to the Department for Education on their behalf. I know that an increase of this nature was generally in line with what they were hoping for and I am delighted it has been offered.
It is also important to reflect on how much progress the Government has made in raising educational standards overall. Shortly after it came to power in 2010, a new method of teaching reading to primary school aged children was rolled out nationally: phonics.
Today, we can see the impact that technique has had. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which is the international benchmark for reading capability amongst primary school children, ranked the United Kingdom fourth out of 43 countries in reading proficiency behind Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia. Our national phonics programme has therefore given us the best literacy rates in the West.
From next year the Government will begin implementation of its £4 billion universal childcare offer. This is the largest ever national investment in childcare and will provide up to 30-hours free childcare every week from the age of 9 months until a child starts school, with wraparound care in every primary school for older children.
Schools in West Berkshire are also in line for their largest ever annual funding award next year of nearly £87 million (not including staff pay). This is a reflection of the Government’s commitment to drive and maintain high standards in education. Today 88% of all schools in this country are good or outstanding, up from just 68% when Labour left Government. In West Berkshire that figure is closer to 95%.
The Government’s ten-year school rebuilding programme is also having a huge impact in our area. Francis Baily Primary School and Whitelands Park Primary, both in Thatcham, and Trinity School in Newbury are all set to benefit from funding for major repairs. Park House School has been awarded £5 million for building repairs and John O’Gaunt School in Hungerford was selected as one out of 239 schools for funding from the Government’s £1.8 billion School Rebuilding Programme in December. John O’Gaunt was also awarded a further £500,000 for a new all-weather sports pitch which is now under construction.
This is a significant investment in our schools, teachers and pupils. It is underpinned by international success and a desire to ensure children receive the best education and early years support. I want to thank teachers in West Berkshire for everything they are doing and hope this significant investment will take our schools from strength-to-strength.
