Schools in Hornchurch & Upminster have benefited from a number of spending announcements from the Department for Education in recent weeks. First, came April’s announcement of a £2bn boost to the schools budget. This announcement means that schools across the constituency will benefit from over £3.5mn in extra funding this year, with typical primary schools receiving an extra £35,000 and typical secondary schools receiving £200,000.

On a visit to the Havering Sixth Form College in March I was told of the college’s plans to expand and these plans have been significantly aided by a £4mn  grant from the DfE to support the building of a brand new teaching block. The grant will part-fund a £5.65mn development at the campus, with the remaining £1.65mn being funded by New City College, with the new facility expected to open by September 2024. This funding is part of a £140mn investment to expand teaching facilities for young people aged 16-19.

Five schools within the constituency are among the 859 nationally to benefit from £456mn in funding awarded to improve facilities via the Condition Improvement Fund. I was pleased to support applications by local schools and even more pleased to learn that Sanders Draper and Emerson Park Academy in Hornchurch were among the schools to receive funding. At Sanders Draper works to replace windows, cladding and roofing will take place while fire safety works will be supported at Emerson Park Academy. Upminster Junior School, Drapers’ Brookside and Drapers’ Pyro Priory School also received funding.