The first time I stood for election as MP for High Peak much of the debate was around our schools. Here in Derbyshire in 1992 things were bad. We had the largest primary school class sizes in the country, the most outdoor toilets, the lowest spending per pupil and the biggest backlog in capital building for schools. When I was on the County Council from 1993 to 1997 we had Government-imposed cuts in our Education budget.

Chapel Infants was the touchstone. It was a worn-out Victorian building across a busy main road from a 40-year old ‘temporary’ classroom with a roof that leaked into buckets every time it rained. Within weeks of being elected in 1997 I was delighted to welcome the funding to replace Chapel Infants.

How things have changed!

Three other schools, Chapel High, now incorporating John Duncan Special School, and Tintwistle Primary have been completely replaced. Over half of High Peak’s schools have had one or more permanent new buildings, not least Buxworth Primary, Glossopdale and Buxton Community Colleges and Hope Valley College. Spending has increased in real terms by half and Derbyshire is no longer bottom of the ladder. Infant classes of over 30 are banned.

In future every child should have the guarantee of one to one catch-up tuition if they are falling behind in English and maths at any stage, as well as a sixth-form or college place or an apprenticeship at sixteen. The syllabus should be ever more useful to children of all abilities. The huge increase in teaching assistant numbers should be sustained.

A few weeks ago I told the House of Commons that the standard of teaching and learning today was so much better than when I was a teacher in the 1980s. Opposition MPs laughed, but it is true.

I say ‘thank you’ to High Peak’s teachers and schools.