This time last year, one of the promises I made in my election leaflets was to carry on campaigning for fairer funding for Worcestershire schools.

It was also in my party's manifesto.

Time after time, people mentioned the unfairness of our local school funding on the doorstep or in hustings.

In the last few years we've been able to start delivering on this pledge and this week the process took another leap forward, with the publication of a White Paper to work towards a national funding formula. The Government is consulting on how it can be made a reality and I strongly encourage all parents, teachers, governors and children to reply to make sure every voice is heard in this important issue.

I love visiting our local schools.

Nearly nine out of ten of our local schools are now rated good or outstanding, despite the lower funding.

You can see that high quality education in the behaviour and enthusiasm of the pupils in the schools I visit.

I recently Tenbury High Ormiston Academy and it is clear from talking both to pupils and staff that the school has been making huge strides forwards. Exam results over recent years bear this out and I hope that Ofsted will soon be inspecting the school to confirm that head teacher Adrian Price and his team are successfully turning the school around.

Children only get one chance to have a good education.

And it is only through education that Worcestershire can continue to grow and produce higher skilled jobs.

The country's productivity will only improve if we can keep on increasing the literacy, numeracy, computer coding, soft skills and resilience of our young people.

We’ve just celebrated National Apprenticeship Week with events both in Westminster and across the county. Apprenticeships are a fantastic next step in terms of education for many school leavers.

We've seen a dramatic increase in apprenticeships locally and nationally and they offer a fantastic opportunity to learn and earn.

This year, numbers are up 115 per cent as young people and local businesses realise how valuable it can be to train an apprentice with new skills and the ability to learn job-specific qualifications.

Fairer funding, fairer educational choices, fairer opportunities for Worcestershire young people.

There is lots more to be done, but I'm delighted to be delivering on that election pledge.