IT’S the time of year when many young people and their families receive exam results news and confirmation of places at Uni or on other training programmes.

Huge congratulations to all local students who achieved the A-level and GCSE grades they needed and likewise, I’d like to offer my best wishes to those who now need to re-think their plans. I will always be grateful for the opportunities I enjoyed at Nailsea Comprehensive and at Oxford University and I know that a good education is the single greatest transformer of lives and that’s why it is a crucial part of the Government’s plan to ensure our children have the skills they need for tomorrow’s economy.

The total schools’ budget has been protected, and progress is being made towards a fairer funding formula so that similar pupils get the same funding no matter what part of the country they are in.

The £2.5 billion Pupil Premium supports disadvantaged pupils and I am proud that the Service Pupil Premium enables our local schools to provide additional support for children from military families.

This year’s A-level results showed that emphasis on core academic subjects is paying off, with a 20 per cent rise in maths entries since 2010.

Overall the number of entries in the key subjects that are required by top universities are up by 13.3 per cent since 2010 – meaning more students are now studying the core academic subjects that will open doors to their future.

Also, as we want to see all young people have a positive future I am delighted that a review is underway, overseen by a leading headteacher, which will consider how best to assess the attainment and progress of the 50,000 pupils whose ability falls below the standard of the national curriculum tests.