Torridge and West Devon’s MP grilled by Shebbear Primary pupils

Torridge and West Devon’s MP, Sir Geoffrey, recently paid a visit to Shebbear’s Little Bears Pre-School and Shebbear Primary School, where he engaged in a lively exchange with pupils and staff.

Visiting local schools regularly to catch up on their progress, Sir Geoffrey has aimed to stay connected with the community, and understand the challenges faced by educational institutions.

With this he will offer his support wherever possible.

The MP's connection to village schools runs deep, as his own children attended the village school in West Devon. 

Hence, he holds a special place in his heart for small rural schools like Shebbear. 

During his visit, which was prompted by a promise made during his Shebbear surgery over the summer, Sir Geoffrey met with Nick Alford, the Principal of Shebbear Primary School, to discuss the school's progress, particularly in core subjects such as reading, following its Good rating by OFSTED in May 2022.

Beginning his visit at Little Bears Pre-School, Sir Geoffrey engaged with staff members to gain insights into the nursery's activities and progress. 

He was then guided through Shebbear Primary School by Principal Nick Alford, where he made stops in various classrooms to observe lessons and interact with students. 

The visit culminated in a spirited question and answer session, during which Sir Geoffrey answered questions from inquisitive pupils on a range of topics.

Reflecting on the visit, Sir Geoffrey commended the improving standards in education, stating: “I am very proud of our village schools, which are essential to the life of our small rural communities. I'm also proud of how standards are improving."

Citing statistics, Sir Geoffrey said: “Since 2010, the proportion of schools rated good or outstanding by Ofsted has increased from 68 per cent to 88 per cent based on latest data and England is ranked 11th in the world for maths (up from 27th in 2009) and 13th for reading, higher in both than the United States, and higher than any EU country other than Finland and Estonia. England came 4th internationally for primary school reading proficiency in the International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) results."

Appreciating the warm atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the children during his visit, Sir Geoffrey concluded by thanking all involved for the hospitality and engaging dialogue.

He particularly acknowledged the budding journalists among the pupils, stating: “We finished with a lively question and answer session from budding Jeremy Paxmans. My thanks to all!”