In his latest column, High Peak MP Robert Largan says every Derbyshire child "deserves a world-class education to give them the best chance of fulfilling their potential, no matter where they grow up".

According to the latest Ofsted inspection reports, only 55 per cent of Derbyshire secondary schools are rated good or better, compared with the national benchmark of 80 per cent. If ‘levelling up’ is to mean anything, it must include fixing this glaring educational inequality.

I went to my local comprehensive school in Manchester. I’ve seen friends failed by the education system. This is an issue I take personally.

Every child in Derbyshire deserves a world-class education, to give them the best chance of fulfilling their potential, no matter where they grow up.

In 2003, Tony Blair launched the London Challenge – designed to rapidly improve failing school standards in the capital, narrow the attainment gap between the richest and poorest, and create more good and outstanding schools. What is needed now is a new ‘Derbyshire Challenge’, to deliver the same for our schools.

Throughout the pandemic, teaching staff have worked incredibly hard in difficult circumstances, and I want to thank them for their dedicated service.

Recently, I held one of my regular High Peak Headteacher Forums, to catch-up on the work schools are doing locally. I am determined to work with them, local authorities and ministers to work out what needs to change and how we can deliver that change.

Locally, we have already begun to make good progress, with St Philip Howard Catholic Voluntary Academy in Glossop being graded ‘good’ in its latest Ofsted inspection, compared to its 2018 rating of ‘Requires Improvement’. We’ve secured capital funding to invest in Hope Valley College, funding to expand Harpur Hill Primary and the £4million expansion of Glossopdale School is under construction and making good progress. But more can – and must – be done.

For this reason, I raised this issue in the House of Commons on Monday and I am pleased to report that Derbyshire will now be designated as one of the Government’s new ‘Education Investment Areas’ (EIAs). EIAs are designed to improve standards in areas which have been overlooked by politicians of both sides for too long.

EIAs will receive extra investment, with retention bonuses for the best teachers as well as more powers for good schools to keep standards and results high.

Our children’s education is an issue which requires a seriousness of purpose above party politics. I am committed to working on a cross-party basis to drive up standards and to give our young people the opportunities they deserve.

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