The biggest challenges facing our schools in Penrith and The Border are those of distance and sparsity. We have the country’s smallest secondary school and its smallest sixth form college. The threat of closure is ever present for many of Cumbria’s smallest and most rural primary and secondary schools. We must do all we can to protect our schools: they form the life and heart of every village.
My colleagues and I have lobbied the Education Minister strongly to ensure the National School Funding formula recognises the unique needs of our rural schools, and provides them with additional financial support. I have worked closely with head-teachers and Cumbria County Council to establish a fair allocation of resources in Cumbria, favouring our smaller schools.
Rory Stewart MP is joining other MPs nationally in calling upon local schools, churches, and choir groups to host a ‘Singing for Syrians’ event in December. ‘Singing for Syrians’, part of the Hands Up Foundation which raises funds for charities working in war-torn Syria, is an upbeat nationwide campaign to encourage the whole of the […]
Rory Stewart MP has written to the Minister Caroline Dinenage to express concern regarding the new funding rates for Early Years provision, which will see nurseries in Penrith and The Border potentially negatively impacted by new county-wide funding rates. The new funding rates for 2017 will see an increase for most providers, with the exception […]
Rory Stewart MP has met with Wigton’s Nelson Thomlinson School’s Young Enterprise team of Year 12 students, who presented to him their Eduvation product. The group has been selected as National Finalists and will be visiting the Houses of Parliament next month to present their product, an economics study aid which they have developed and marketed, accumulating over £1,000 in […]
Local MP Rory Stewart on Friday visited Threlkeld Primary School, where he enjoyed a tour of the school, met with staff and governors, and was introduced to students. Rory led an energetic discussion with Class 3 about the role of an MP and how Government works, and took questions from his captivated audience. The school’s Headteacher, […]
Rory Stewart MP has welcomed the approval of a £26,634 grant from the Education Funding Agency for future flood resilience measures at Crosby-on-Eden C of E Primary School. The grade II listed building was badly hit by floods during Storm Desmond, with only one classroom remaining dry, and Rory has been pressing hard for as much financial support […]
Every schoolchild in England will have the chance to visit our inspiring National Parks at each stage of their education under plans announced today by Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss—as new figures reveal only 10% of schoolchildren currently have access to outdoor learning. The new Plan for National Parks kickstarts a programme of activity to safeguard […]
Following a long-running campaign in which he has lobbied government to adopt a fairer funding formula for rural schools, Rory Stewart MP – who is also Minister for Rural Affairs in DEFRA, and a champion for rural-proofing of government policy – has hailed today’s news of a consultation into fairer school-funding as a “significant breakthrough”. […]
Rory Stewart MP visited Culgaith Primary school on Friday and took part in the school assembly, where he presented five year old Tom Taylor – the winner of his annual Christmas card competition – with book vouchers for Penrith’s Rheged Centre. Culgaith, which has been a first school since the mid 1970’s, currently has 61 […]
Rory Stewart MP was delighted to award runners-up and winners of the Country Watch Eden official logo competition at Appleby Grammar School last week, where he handed out certificates to overall winners Hamish Donnelly and Sasha Parkin from the school’s Year 7. The pupils’ two logos have been amalgamated to create the image which will […]
Parliament Week, coordinated by the House of Commons with support from the House of Lords, was celebrated by MP Rory Stewart in an informal discussion about local and national politics with a group of sixth form students at Appleby Grammar School last week, part of a programme of events and activities designed to connect people […]