This afternoon my team and I visited St Joseph's Primary School, Upminster, where we met head teacher, Mrs Bernadette Matthews. and Rev. John Tuohy, to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing our local schools.

I had arranged the visit as part of my aim to understand the priorities of the local teaching community, and to offer help in connecting their leadership teams to useful people in Westminster and the constituency. We discussed pressures on schools from increased special educational needs, the constraints of St Joseph's town centre site, the recent and forthcoming Ofsted inspections and more. 

I had the opportunity to meet five children from Years 5 and 6 and talked to them about their end of school talent show, transition to secondary school and recent SATs exams. 

It was a pleasure to visit the school and to see such a happy school community and inspirational head teacher in Mrs Matthews.