DEVIZES MP Claire Perry has welcomed the announcement that from September all pupils will study the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) at GCSE.

The EBacc is awarded when students achieve A* to C in five core GCSE subjects including English, maths, science, humanities and languages – the courses that universities and employers value the most.

From September all pupils starting secondary school will study the EBacc when they reach their GCSEs.

This comes as new figures from Ofsted show that 85 per cent schools in the south west have been judged good or outstanding in their most recent inspection and, in the Devizes constituency, there are just nine schools that are not currently rated good or outstanding.

Across the country the proportion of all schools judged to be good or outstanding at their most recent inspection was 82 per cent – the highest ever recorded.

As a result over 1 million more children are now in good schools compared to 2010.

Ms Perry said: "As part of the Conservatives’ commitment to opportunity we want everyone to have access to the best opportunities Britain has to offer.

"This means making sure that children have access to the best schools and study the key subjects that will provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

‘I made an election pledge to personally help every local school be rated as outstanding or good, and over the next few weeks I will be meeting with the head teachers and governors at the schools who have not yet achieved these ratings, to discuss how I may help."