A good school place for every child

I know it's frustrating for parents and children that schools have had to return to online learning.

I’m delighted to announce the winner of my Christmas card competition this year is Alice Jeffery from Roseacre Junior School.

The winning design will feature on cards seen by people across the local area and one has even been sent to the Prime Minister.

Family budgets across the country are being squeezed by this pandemic.

That's why on top of the support already provided, the Government has announced a new £170 million Covid Winter Grant Scheme for local councils to help people most in need.

I’m delighted that our schools are getting a 5.5 per cent increase in funding next year.

This is another step to getting fairer funding for Kent’s schools, which have for years received less money than schools in other parts of the country

It’s one of the hardest jobs of the year, but I’m pleased to announce the winner of my annual Christmas card competition.

The winning design is by Luna from Oaks Primary Academy in Maidstone and features a snowman against a blue sky.

I’m pleased the Schools Minister has listened to my request for extra funding for Kent schools.

Every secondary school in Faversham and Mid Kent will now be guaranteed at least £5,000 per pupil with every primary school pupil getting at least £3,750 from central funds.

I visited Maidstone Library on Friday 4 October ahead of this year’s National Libraries Week (7-12 October).

This was my first visit to the Library in my role as Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism – which includes responsibility for libraries and museums.

I visited Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School on 27 September to talk to sixth form politics students about life as an MP and what's going on in Westminster at the moment. 

Schools in Kent will get a share of an extra £14 billion the Government has committed to education funding between now and 2022/23.

Children from Bearsted, Thurnham, Detling and Maidstone desperately need new schools to go to and I'm pleased that an application has gone in for Bearsted Primary and Snowfields Academy.