A quick tour around Richmond School this morning. The school has very good facilities, having been the beneficiary of a £32m investment from the Department of Education a few years ago.
I was honoured to take part in Richmond’s Remembrance Day ceremony today. The British Legion, local officials, military and volunteers came together to stage an excellent tribute.
Meeting people is the only way to really learn about all the issues that concern the community. So on Saturday, I took my place alongside dozens of market traders and set up a street stall in front of Northallerton Town Hall.
I came to see the work of a wonderful charity today. Northdale Horticulture provides training and work-based activities for adults with learning disabilities across the Hambleton and Richmondshire districts of North Yorkshire.
When I was studying at Stanford University in America I came across a leading professor of education called Erik Hanushek. Professor Hanushek has done work for the OECD illustrating that the single more important factor in determining a child’s success at school is having a good teacher. Good teaching is more important than things like smaller class sizes, advanced curriculum, or who runs the school.
Today I spent time meeting with various Northallerton businesses like Allerton Steel and Barkers department store. Supporting small companies and maintaining thriving market towns are priorities for me.
The Conservative-led Government has radically improved Apprenticeships so they are now a well-paid, high-quality path to skilled employment. This government has created 1.6m new apprenticeships, double the number under the last Labour administration.
I saw first-hand how remarkable the Fire & Rescue Service can be. The evening before they staffed the Bonfire Night entirely through volunteers which is a testament to their community spirit.
I had a great evening at Northallerton’s Bonfire Night and Fireworks display. It was a good opportunity to speak to a lot of people from the local community and enjoy a night out together.
