The start of any academic year offers children the opportunity of a fresh start.
It allows for changes to learning approaches, the chance to try new activities, and even the development of new friendships.
Ahead of the gates opening to schools last week, I made one of my first school visits since the full relaxation of legal restrictions.
I met with the new headteacher of St Andrew’s CE Primary School in Soham, Elizabeth Henderson, to see how the leadership team were preparing to welcome their students.
I was pleased to see safeguards in place to minimise the spread of Covid.
These include the testing of teachers twice-weekly, regular cleaning of surfaces and the provision of hand sanitiser around the site.
The leadership team have also created a comprehensive Outbreak Management Plan for effectively handling further potential outbreaks at the school.
Measures like these across our schools will secure a safe return to sport, music, drama, experiments and socialising which are now possible for the first extended period since the pandemic began.
I am looking forward to visiting schools in the coming months as I hold again my constituency-wide ‘Parliamentary Debating Competition’, which seeks to give pupils the chance to learn the art of debating from a young age.
The competition involves debate training, and the opportunity for the best entrants to debate in the House of Commons.
I am also delighted to see the opening of The Cavendish School in my constituency, the world’s first International Baccalaureate special autism school.
It is also Cambridgeshire’s first state-maintained free school provision for autistic children.
The school, which will ultimately admit 80 pupils aged 7 to 18 after the initial acceptance of 40 children aged 7 to 12, was established after a joint funding agreement was entered into by the Department for Education and Eastern Learning Alliance.
People across our local area have gone above and beyond to help others during the pandemic, and to recognise their fantastic efforts I launched a COVID Community Champions award.
From collecting medication and groceries, to looking out for elderly neighbours, or volunteering or supporting the NHS - there are many stories of support that have taken place across our local communities during the pandemic.
I am keen to highlight the significant efforts of those who have made a contribution during this tough time for our area and country.
If you would like to nominate a local individual to thank them for the work they have done across Cambridgeshire then please email me on lucy.frazer.mp@parliament.uk with:
➡️Your name
➡️Your address
➡️Your email
➡️Name and contact email of the individual you are nominating for the COVID Community Champion Award
➡️The reasons why you are nominating them
🗓The closing date for nominations is the 30th September.
I will be announcing the winners in the autumn, and holding a special event in Parliament to recognise their hard work. I look forward to sharing their stories with you.
Many thanks to The Ely Standard and many parish magazines for supporting!
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