Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
Richard takes part in BBC News School Report
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Education, Media & Sport
Last week, Richard was interviewed by Year 8 students at St Andrew’s School in Bedford for the 2012 BBC News School Report.
During the interview, Richard was asked some challenging questions about government policy on pensions and gangs, among some more light-hearted ones about the UK’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
To view the report, please visit:-
http://www.st-andrews.beds.sch.uk/news1201.htm
Richard reads to Priory Lower School to mark World Book Day
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Education
Priory Lower School in Bedford held a special storytime event with Richard to mark World Book Day.
Richard read Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ to years 1-4 during assembly.
World Book Day, which is marked in over 100 countries around the globe, highlights the joys of reading to local children and was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading.
Boosting apprenticeships for young people and small businesses in Bedford & Kempston
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Business, Economy, Education, Universities & Skills
New data shows that 600 Apprenticeships have been delivered in Bedford & Kempston in the last year, up 70% on the previous year.
Richard, who recently visited Ultra Precision Engineering in Kempston, where they have just taken on two new apprentices from the Bedford Training Group, said that the record rise in apprenticeship numbers shows commitment to helping employers train the skilled workers they need to build a stronger, growing economy. He added that companies like Ultra Precision Engineering are providing a vital role in skills development.
He was also delighted with the Government’s announcement that it will offer cash bonuses to employers for taking on an apprentice aged between 16 and 24 and urges companies in Bedford and Kempston to take up this opportunity.
For more information on apprenticeships, please visit this link.
Richard presents Tesco goodies to Hills Lower and Hazeldene Lower Schools
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Education
Richard presented awards to two local schools at Tesco on Riverfield Drive, Bedford, as part of the 10th anniversary of the ‘Tesco for Schools and Clubs’ initiative.
The Hills Lower School and Hazeldene Lower School – where Richard was a formal pupil – were represented by children and teachers from the schools, who were awarded goodies by Richard, on behalf of Tesco, to take back to the classroom. Vouchers were collected by the schools, parents and children and then exchanged for equipment, such as digital cameras, to be used across the school curriculum.
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MP congratulates Bedford & Kempston GCSE students and schools
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Education
Richard Fuller, MP for Bedford and Kempston, has welcomed the news of improved GCSE results from Bedford Borough’s Upper schools.
Richard said:
“I congratulate the improved performance of schools in Bedford and Kempston at GCSE on the key standard of 5+ GSCEs at grades A* to C, including Maths and English, and in particular the strong double digit improvements at Hastingsbury, Mark Rutherford and Wootton and the strong improvement at Bedford Academy, continuing its progress for four consecutive years.
“I also congratulate the students for all their achievements and hard work over the last two years and wish them all the best for their futures.”
Richard praises green training in Kempston
Posted by admin | Filed under Business, Climate Change, Economy, Education, Universities & Skills
Richard with Jake Marsden (PV Installer) at Carillion
Bedford MP Richard Fuller has praised local company, Carillion Energy Services for its commitment to training and apprenticeships.
The MP was keen to see how the company was creating sustainable jobs in Bedford and the impact that this was having upon skills in the area.
Mr Fuller met senior managers and also had the opportunity to speak first hand with renewable installation engineer, Jake Marsden who gained vital training on the installation of solar photovoltaic panels at the Academy and qualified fully in October 2010.
Richard said: “I was really pleased to see first hand the scale of the Training Academy and I am particularly proud that Carillion Energy Services have chosen to use Bedford as the location for their UK Training Academy. Green Skills and employment are vital to the development of both the local and wider economy and here in Bedford, we are actively involved in developing these.”
UPDATE – My full speech at Bedford Academy
Posted by Richard | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Bedford Academy, Education
On the 5th July, I spoke at Bedford Academy’s ‘Sod Turning Ceremony’. Here is the full text of the speech I gave:
“We meet today, not only to celebrate a building, but to celebrate education.
Not only to mark the achievement of a goal, but to ready ourselves for the challenge ahead.
Nothing defines better the success of a community than the teaching of its children.
Nothing fuels the innovation, the creativity, the passions, the heart, the strivings, the successes of the generation of Bedfordians that will follow us – nothing fuels this future, more than the passion, dedication and skills of our teachers.
Today, at Bedford Academy, we recommit ourselves as a community to the critical importance of raising educational standards and strengthening the ethos of high expectations, respect, openness and honesty with a focus on every student; the ethos that lies at the heart of this Academy. Principal, teachers, assistants and staff – we commend and encourage your every effort.
Today, we commit ourselves, not only to the education of every student, but to each year of schooling. We recognise that each child only gets one chance at each year of their education.
We commit ourselves that the quest for higher standards is not only a long term discussion, but an urgent priority for today, where failure to perform demands leadership and action so that not one single year of any child’s education is wasted.
Building work begins at Bedford Academy
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Bedford Academy, Education
Richard was guest of honour at the “Sod Turning Ceremony” for the new Bedford Academy building on Tuesday (5th July). The funds for the new academy building were secured by Richard last year.
In his speech to the students, teachers and sponsors, he said:-
“Today, we commit ourselves, not only to the education of every student, but to each year of schooling. We recognise that each child only gets one chance at each year of their education.
We commit ourselves that the quest for higher standards is not only a long term discussion, but an urgent priority for today, where failure to perform demands leadership and action so that not one single year of any child’s education is wasted.”
The school thanked Richard by baking a delicious cake (pictured above)!
Cub Scouts Pack into Parliament as Richard Fuller MP becomes Scout Leader for the Day – includes video!
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Community Relations, Education, Parliament
Richard recently became a Scout Leader for the day as 28 Cub Scouts, from across the UK – including members of our own Brickhill Cub Scouts – held the first ever Pack meeting at the Palace of Westminster. The event was part of The Scout Association’s drive to promote the benefits of volunteering to adults.
A collection of MPs worked with 12 adult leaders from around the UK for Volunteers’ Week. They helped the Cubs enjoy a number of activities including setting up a camp and going on an indoor expedition. (See below for video)
The benefits that volunteering has had on the lives of the adult leaders present was clear to all the MPs. Many of the leaders at the meeting only joined Scouting in the last two years.
Setting Our Training Experts Free from Labour’s Paperwork Mountain
Posted by Richard | Filed under Economy, Education, Universities & Skills
Talking with the inspiring Rakesh Ram at Community LD, a town centre group that provides training and support for people seeking employment, I got a clear understanding of what a crushing burden the top down, bureaucracy beloved of Prime Minister Brown can be. Rakesh is local, highly motivated, experienced and capable. In short, he is exactly the sort of person that someone in Bedford would want to turn to get advice and encouragement. However, because of the intrusive, restricting and obsessive requirements of the bureaucracy, Rakesh finds much of his time taken up by the requirements of form filling, and less of his time available for doing what he loves to do –serve the needs of his clients.
