In and around the area of Daventry in 2010 there were 7,465 children in schools rated good or outstanding. Now this figure is 11,101, which is a huge boost of 3,636 children who are in higher rated schools now than they would have been 9 years ago. Nationally this rise has seen 1.9 million more children attending good or outstanding schools. Nationally 85 per cent of schools are now rated good or outstanding, up from 68 per cent in 2010.
Literacy levels have been rising too with 163,000 more 6-year-olds on track to become fluent readers since the introduction of the phonics screening check in 2012, meaning more children are mastering the fundamental skills they need. In 2012, 58 per cent of 6-year olds in reached the expected level in reading nationally, compared with 82 per cent last year.
The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their more affluent peers has narrowed by at least 9.5 per cent since 2011, when the Pupil Premium was introduced. The Pupil Premium, which is worth over £2.4 billion this year alone, provides additional funding to support pupils who may face additional challenges at school. Furthermore, disadvantaged 18-year-olds are now 52 per cent more likely to go to university than 10 years ago, and in 2018, for the first time ever, over 20 per cent of English 18-year-olds living in the lowest participation neighbourhoods entered higher education
Reforms to the curriculum mean more pupils are studying the core academic and that disadvantaged students are more likely to go to university than ever before. At the same time, reforms to apprenticeships mean that young people have quality, vocational options as they await their GCSE and A-Level results with over 3.8 million people started apprenticeships between 2010-11 and 2017-18. At the same time, the Government is driving up the quality of apprenticeships with over 400 new apprenticeship standards.
I have always admired how hard-working and caring teachers are across the constituency and I want to take this opportunity to thank them. As the summer holidays approach I hope that they all enjoy a well-earned break! I also want to wish all the students who have taken exams this year the best of luck, I know this can be a nervous time before results days. The hard work of teachers, combined with this Government’s reforms, means pupils today will have more options than ever before.