The Rayleigh and Wickford constituency has six good quality secondary schools. They are FitzWimarc and Sweyne Park in Rayleigh, Greensward Academy in Hockley, King Edmund in Ashingdon and Beauchamps and Bromfords in Wickford. In addition, there are then over twenty other Infant and Junior schools, which also provide good education for local pupils.
Mark has visited all 31 schools in his constituency, a number of them several times.
In addition, Mark has worked closely with a number of the Headteachers and schools that have been affected with the issues of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).
Mark being shown around the new, high-standard, relocatable classrooms at Bromfrods school, by the Headteacher, Mr Jochen Tree, prior to their recent opening.
During this time, when it was announced by the Department for Education (DfE) that Hockley Primary School, Bromfords School, in Wickford and Wyburns School, in Rayleigh would also have to unexpectedly close, wholly, or partially, on the grounds of safety, Mark sought to do everything he could to support the Headteachers and schools. This included meetings with the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan MP, Baroness Barran, Minister for the School System, the previous Minister for Schools, Nick Gibb MP; and officials at the DfE.
Thanks to the tireless efforts from all parties involved, face-to-face learning was largely continued through this difficult period.
Mark is also a firm supporter of the Academies programme, which has helped to raise standards in a number of schools in Essex and across the country as a whole. Mark has supported several local schools who have applied for Academy status and has backed the creation of new sixth forms, including at both Sweyne Park and FitzWimarc in Rayleigh, both of which he subsequently opened. Mark is also supporting the creation of a new sixth form at Castledon Special School in Wickford as well.
Over the years Mark has also actively encouraged local schools to visit the Palace of Westminster to learn more about the work of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Any school wishing to organise a visit to Parliament is advised to contact Mark’s office at Westminster to find out availability and further details of the Parliamentary Education Service programme (as visits now have to be planned some months in advance with the House authorities). More details are available under Visits to Parliament on this website.
