If you are a regular reader of my column you will know that I very much enjoy visiting schools, or speaking to pupils when they visit Parliament (perhaps it’s in my genes as my family are all teachers!). There are grants available for transport for schools to visit Parliament – please get in touch with my office if you want more information. I have always been passionate about education, and making sure that children in Mid Dorset and North Poole get the very best start in life. Since being elected, I have visited over 30 nurseries, schools and colleges across Dorset and Poole.
We are expanding free government-funded childcare, so that eligible working parents will be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare for children from age 9 months. There’s a gradual rollout starting from April, for children over 2. Nurseries, like Bizzybeez in Lytchett Minster that I visited in the autumn, will be able to offer government-funded quality childcare, making it more affordable for people with young children to return to work.
At the other end of the scale are our senior schools and colleges. A senior school visit Q&A is very different from a nursery visit for an MP, and students often ask the most challenging questions! I think it is important that our children understand the political process, and I’m always keen to encourage them to get involved. As part of that, I host work experience students every year – to give young people a taste of what it is like to work in politics – either as an MP, councillor, or in an MP’s office. Sometimes this is in the summer, but this coming year I will also be running a work experience program for anyone in year 12 or above during the Easter holidays. I ask the students to write a diary of their time in my office – you can read these on my website. There are also details of how to apply for the Easter week – please do encourage any young people who might be interested to apply. www.michaeltomlinson.org.uk/work-experience
As well as our maintained schools, I also visit our independent schools, and have recently heard about some of the excellent work of Canford School in its sponsorship of a local academy, and its work with local community organisations and charities. We are incredibly lucky in Dorset and Poole to have such a wide range of excellent schools for parents to choose from. 99% of children in State schools in Mid Dorset and North Poole are in schools which are classed by Ofsted as Good or Outstanding. I will continue to support our school and teachers across the constituency – and I thank them for their hard work for our children.
