WELCOME back to all children and young people starting school across St Austell and Newquay. Whether you’re starting a new school or going into an exam year, I wish you the best of luck for the year ahead.

Reflecting on this year's results, GCSE outcomes improved nationally, with over 6,000 more 16-year-olds achieving a grade 7 and above in Maths this year. This is the largest ever uptick in standards as young people press ahead in building foundational skills for success. Technical education was also a standout success story, with 7,965 more Technical Award Level 2 passes achieved versus last year.

This is great news, with the significant demand in the labour market for skilled manual jobs; The Construction Industry Training Board found we need over 200,000 more construction workers by 2030, and the Institute of the Motor Industry says there are over 16,000 mechanic vacancies We’ve got to get Britain building again, and I was delighted to see Andy Burnham’s commitment to put academic and technical education on an equal footing, by empowering local leaders to work with schools, colleges, and employers to ensure curriculums align with local job market needs.

There’s no singular route to success, and for too long our education has prioritised going to university above all else. As Andy said, it’s time for a Britain that values the hard hat as much as the graduation cap.

As the son of a former teacher, I have seen the stress of the back-to-school shop year after year. Parents rightly worry about school unform costs, with some families even going without heating or food to afford these excessive branded items. This has changed. From today, schools are now only allowed to require three branded uniform items – plus a tie in secondaries.

Primary school children across St Austell and Newquay will have attended new Best Start free breakfast clubs this morning, like the one at Pondhu Primary and . Every child can benefit from this programme, regardless of their background, starting the day ready to learn with a full stomach, whilst easing the pressure on parents during busy mornings, and saving them £450 annually.

At lunchtime 500,000 more children across Britain – including 4670 families in St Austell and Newquay – will receive a free school meal thanks to Labour's expansion of eligibility to children in households receiving Universal Credit. This expansion will save parents around £500 a year, whilst also ensuring children are fuelled to reach their full potential.

Looking ahead, Labour is pressing forward with more reforms to the education system to ensure every young person has access to high-quality opportunities, including expanded technical education, fully funded apprenticeships for under25s and new vocational pathways.

This week marks a turning point: the start of a new academic year, the return of Parliament after summer recess, and the kick-starting of Labour’s new, key policies for schools. I’m proud to be supporting a Government that is building an education system that feeds hungry bellies, nurtures minds and supports every child to reach their potential no matter their background.