Supporting schools and early years

Every school bar one in Steve Brine's Winchester & Chandler's Ford constituency is ranked 'Good' our 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, an impressive feat and testament to the hard work of local teachers, parents and pupils. Watch Steve make this point at PMQs.

Local MP Steve Brine made supporting schools one of his top priorities from the moment he was elected and one of his energetic campaigns during his first term was to lead calls for much needed new primary school places in Winchester. He keeps close tabs on the position in Chandler's Ford where school place planning must stay ahead of demand.

Conservative-led Hampshire County Council responded to that campaign with a £10m plan to the relief of families across the city. This brought 420 new primary places online for September 2014 and included expansions at St Peter's, All Saints and Weeke plus the creation of Hampshire's first 'all-through' school at The Westgate. With a nursery on-site, young people can now experience education on the Westgate site from 4-16.

Steve has also championed the move to Academy status (where driven by local parents and governing bodies) at Perins School in Alresford and Thornden in Chandler's Ford. Both school are Outstanding and hugely popular; the Alresford school now being part of a MAT (Multi Academy Trust) bringing the previously failing Sun Hill Juniors in the town under its' wing. Steve opposed his own Government's muted plans to force all schools to academise in 2016.

The MP regularly visits local schools, often taking part in Q&A sessions with children and hosts visits to Westminster's Education Centre. Email the team if you would like Steve to visit or find out more about Visiting Westminster.

Steve also serves as a Trustee on the University of Winchester Academy Trust which will run the new school at Kings Barton.

The constituency also has some world renowned schools in the private sector - Winchester College, Twyford School, Sherborne House, Princes' Mead and St Swithuns - and Steve Brine maintains good relationships with each of them.

Steve is also Chair of the influential All-Party Group for Children & Early Years in Parliament and campaigns to address the serious challenges facing this sector.

Pictured; Steve brought the Premier League trophy to Weeke School in Winchester as part of their Primary Stars programme, chatting with parents at Harestock Primary School, meeting pupils at Oliver's Battery Primary School and addressing a public meeting on the need for new school places at The Westgate School shortly after being elected in 2010.

See below Steve's strong track record of work in this area ...

News

MP questions all academy policy as Schools plan unveiled

The Government’s Schools White Paper launched today as the Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, gave a statement to the House of Commons. During the debate the Member of Parliament for Winchester and Chandler’s Ford, who’s constituency covers many rural villages, raised the plight of sm

MP visits new look Kings Worthy Pre-school

Steve Brine visited the new team at a previously threatened pre-school in Kings Worthy. The MP for Winchester dropped into the new Kings Worthy Early Years Centre, which has taken over the contract to provide the service adjacent to the primary school, following an uncertain period last year which

Itchen Abbas children visit Parliament

Steve Brine welcomed a lively group of year 6 children from Itchen Abbas Primary School to the Houses of Parliament. The children, and staff, received a tour of the Palace of Westminster with the Education service, before meeting up with their MP for a lively Q&A session over lunch with a trip

MP gives talk to pupils at Kings’ School

Steve Brine paid a visit to Kings’ School in Winchester to speak to some of the students about the work of an MP and some of his experiences in Parliament. The MP was invited by a mixture of the school debate club and a new PMQs club which meets each Wednesday to assess the weekly event in the Comm

MP visits Chandler's Ford Infants School's eco team

Local MP, Steve Brine, caught up with the eco helpers during a visit to Chandler’s Ford Infants School. Mr Brine’s attention was drawn to the school’s eco team after their fundraising push for new litter pickers came across the desk of the Chandler’s Ford MP. During his visit the MP spent time qui

Anger and despair at ongoing CAMHS failings

Steve Brine has spoken movingly in Parliament about the ‘despair’ many of his constituents feel at the ongoing issues accessing children’s mental health services in Hampshire. The Winchester & Chandler’s Ford MP read out a series of personal, anonymised, stories sent to him by constituents afte

MP visits Harestock Primary School

Steve Brine dropped into Harestock Primary School, on the edge of the city, to catch-up with headteacher, Jackie Sankey. The Winchester MP discussed Covid, catch-up and visiting Abbey Road studios, before taking a look around and meeting a number of staff and children, including the dinner ladies!

School support staff recruitment raised in House

Local MP, Steve Brine, quizzed government Ministers on school support staff recruitment during Education Questions in the House of Commons. Mr Brine had been contacted by local Headteachers, including Steve Jones of Perins School in Alresford, about the issue which is affecting SEND provision in sc

Time to address the pay gap in early years says APPG chair

Steve Brine bought forward a special debate in the House of Commons today on the role of early years educators. The MP for Winchester & Chandler’s Ford, who is chair of the APPG for Childcare and Early Education, led the important debate which coincided with the All-Party group’s Childcare and