Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State at the Department for Education, visited two schools in Watford and welcomed impressive exam results, as well as keen focus on student wellbeing.
On Thursday 6th June, local MP Richard Harrington MP organised for the Schools Minister, Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, to visit both Nascot Wood Junior School and Watford Grammar School for Girls.
The Minister spent the morning at Nascot Wood Junior, where he toured the facilities and met with Headteacher, Christina Singh, and Deputy Head, Simon Watts, as well other staff and students. Together they had a positive conversation about how Nascot Wood chooses to prioritise student wellbeing and safeguard mental health. This has led to a near 98% attendance rate and a large number of students receiving scholarships to attend top grammar and independent schools. Mr Gibb was fascinated to learn about the work that teachers do to prepare for exams, which is reducing student stress levels and preparing them for academic progression, complimenting ‘exemplary reading and maths teaching’. The Watford MP commented that local schools were ‘leading the way on mental health provision for students’.
In the afternoon, Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP attended a roundtable discussion with local Headteachers, chaired at Watford Grammar School for Girls by Head, Sylvia Tai. Mr Harrington organised the discussion to facilitate an open dialogue between schools in his constituency and the Education Ministers. During the meeting, local Headteachers discussed a number of areas, including their fantastic GCSE and A level results, future funding and staff recruitment. Mr Gibb praised the School’s ‘very high academic standards’.
Richard Harrington MP said “We’re lucky to have some of the best schools in the country in Watford, and so I asked Nick to come here to meet some of the amazing teachers that provide students with a first-class education.
I’m incredibility proud of the mental health focus from teachers at Nascot Wood Junior, and I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact this has on student’s wellbeing. At a young age, children are learning how to cope with exam stress, which will help prepare them for Secondary school and life beyond that.
I also think it’s important that Ministers at the Department for Education engage regularly with teachers. I know that Nick found the roundtable with Watford’s headteachers so useful in that respect.”
Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP commented that “Richard Harrington, as Watford’s MP, is rightly proud of the town’s schools, particularly Watford Grammar School for Girls and Nascot Wood Junior School which I visited on Thursday. Both schools are equipping young people for the next stages of their education and ensuring their pupils, whatever their background, are able to fulfil their potential.”