Education and Training

Mel has been one of the leading campaigners for more education funding for Devon for over a decade. Working alongside other MPs and campaigners he helped to secure significant increases in per pupil funding for schools in Devon for 2020-21 and 2021-22. With Devon long having between forgotten when it comes to education funding, the increases meant Devon was in the top third of beneficaries in the country from the adjusted per pupil funding calculations. He has also supported local schools who have made applications for funding, e.g. recently securing a meeting in Westminster with education minister Baroness Berridge, where he went into bat for Lapford Primary School which needs funding to replace a condemned classroom.

Mel has made more than 100 visits to local schools and hosts visits from local pupils to Westminster to inspire an interest in politics and our democracy at an early age. Teachers interested in organising a trip with their class should contact Mel's Westminster office on 0207 219 7037. Mel has also organised for sixth form students from the three colleges and sixth forms in his constituency (QE in Crediton, Okehampton College and South Dartmoor College in Ashburton) to visit Oxford University with the aim of encouraging bright state sixth form pupils to aim high and not be deterred from applying to the best universities.

A strong advocate of apprenticeships as an alternative to university, Mel was a ministerial aide in the Business Department under David Cameron and helped to deliver a massive rise in the number of young people embarking on apprenticeships. Locally he has worked with Moor Training in Okehampton and The Focus Training Group in Heathfield to promote apprenticeships.

Mel's passion for education stems from his upbringing. Due to economic hardship his parents left school at 15 and 14 but he was lucky - he gained a free place at a grammar school and went on to become the first in his family to go to university. This experience instilled in Mel the importance of a good education and how it can aid social mobility.

Mel is a former governor of Okehampton College.

News

A Busy and Poignant Week

Last week I criss-crossed our vast Central Devon constituency visiting primary schools in Okehampton, Crediton and Tedburn St Mary (pictured). The visits coincided with National Reading Week and I am encouraged by the initiatives that our local schools have undertaken to promote reading.

MP DISCOVERS ‘AVID READERS’ AT NEW OKEHAMPTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

CENTRAL DEVON MP Mel Stride was given a tour of St James Church of England Primary and Nursery School in Okehampton today (04/02/20) during National Reading Week. The MP was shown around by Head of School Suzie Stevens and Executive Head Hazel Fox and spent time admiring the school’s bespoke libr

MEL DEMANDS GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR LAPFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM

Mel Stride MP has written to the administrators of the Department for Education Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) – which provides funding for capital maintenance projects within education - strongly urging them to support an application from Lapford Primary School.

Legislative Agenda for 2020

On Thursday debate concluded on the Government’s legislative agenda (as set out in the Queen’s Speech).

Social Care, Early Education & Policing

New statistics show that vulnerable people across England received almost 13 million extra hours of home visits from social care workers last year through the Improved Better Care Fund, backed by £684million of Government funding.

Domestic Agenda

The Government has now set out its agenda for the new Parliament with key pledges as follows:-

The End of Private Schools?

At the Labour Party Conference one policy really stood out – their plan to end fee-paying education in England.