AS OUR Parliamentary term draws to a close for the summer recess, it is also the end of term for many schools. I was delighted by the announcement this week by the Education Secretary that there will be an additional £1.3bn boost to the core schools budget, which will deliver the biggest improvement to the school funding system for well over a decade. This additional funding will mean an increase in the basic amount that every pupil will get so that we can continue to raise standards to give every child the best possible education and opportunities for their future. I look forward to working with Wiltshire Council and local headteachers once further details are announced in September.

One of my six campaigning priorities is to ensure all schools in the Constituency are ranked as Good or Outstanding by 2020, and I know the increased funding can help us towards that aim. However, it is still the case that the biggest driver of school performance is superb leadership and teaching, and I want to pass on my personal thanks at the end of this term to all those heads, teachers and classroom assistants who work so hard in our local schools. My life was transformed by inspiring teachers who opened my eyes to the opportunities out there, and I think we are incredibly lucky to have such a talented and dedicated education workforce in the Devizes constituency.

My recess will include a bit of a holiday but also gives me the chance to drill down on my fascinating ministerial brief and catch up with local visits and advice surgeries. I visited Wrightstyle in Devizes last week, who manufacture advanced glazing systems that have been installed across the world, from Hong Kong to the USA, to discuss export opportunities, the UK market and how the government can do more to help small businesses. I was able to assure them that, following the recent announcement that the Government has provided £3bn this year supporting 221 British businesses exporting to 63 countries around the world, the UK remains an outward facing trading nation and we will do all we can to support our small and medium businesses – who are the powerhouse of the British economy – through Brexit and beyond.

I also stopped in to A’Becketts vineyard near Devizes, which is Wiltshire’s largest vineyard, established in 2001 and now extending to over 11 acres, to see their operations, discuss further investment opportunities – and to buy a bottle of delicious local rosé that went down a treat in the warm weather.