Talking Politics: South Swindon MP Robert Buckland

Last month, I ran the Swindon Half Marathon alongside my colleague, Alex Williams to raise money for a local charity which I have worked closely with for a number of years, Dressability.

The charity was formed in 1998 and is one of only two independent clothing services in the UK which caters specifically for the needs of disabled people. Dressability works with other local voluntary organisations, disability support groups, social workers and healthcare professionals to provide clothing for people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and the elderly.  You can find out more by visiting their website www.dressability.org.uk

Despite the persistent rain and wind, we were able to run the race in just over 2 hours and 20 minutes – a new personal best! I would personally like to thank everybody who braved the conditions and came out and not only made the atmosphere amazing, but kept me going by providing me with green jelly babies along the 13.1 mile course.

The Half Marathon was great for our town, the parts of Swindon we know and love. But equally as important, those running the Half Marathon helped to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

I recently attended a meeting with North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson and Bradley Simmons, Regional Director at OFSTED. You may recall that Mr Simmons was the author of the Ofsted letter that was highly critical of education in Swindon last year.

The need for there to be a process in Swindon by which local educational providers can be challenged and specific improvements proposed was clear and it was welcome that the Lead Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment, Coun Fionula Foley, secured £600,000 in funding over the next three years from the Council to set up the Swindon Challenge Boards, which bring together all key stakeholders in education including the Regional Schools’ Commissioner, headteachers, the teaching schools, governors, local businesses and senior council leaders with the aim of improving educational outcomes in all our schools. Ofsted also has an observer on the board. I was pleased to learn that the provisional KS2 results in Swindon show a high improvement rate.  Reading, writing, and maths have improved by 15 per cent, whilst we are still awaiting provisional results for phonics. A good start has been made, however, there is further work to be done, particularly in our secondary schools.  I will continue to regularly visit schools here in South Swindon and support the work of the Challenge Boards.