Will Quince is MP for Colchester

Heading back to London now to reflect on everything I've seen and heard today. Ensuring that parents have access to an affordable, flexible, and high-quality childcare system will continue to be a top priority for me. A big thank you to @UKinFrance for hosting 🇬🇧🇫🇷

Another great visit this afternoon to Multi-Acceuil Jardins, a crèche in Paris. I heard about the support this setting gives to childminders, a group I am looking to grow and increase support for in England. @UKinFrance 🇬🇧🇫🇷

Earlier I visited Crèche Visconti and Saint-Benoit pre-primary school to learn more about the French early education system from staff, members of the education inspectorate and the local municipality @ukinfrance 🇬🇧🇫🇷

We know that keeping active is such an important part of a young person’s development. It was great to meet @JPAcensi to learn more about how
@APELS supports young people to build skills and find employment through sport 🇬🇧🇫🇷🏃🏃‍♀️

Thank you to @UKAmbUNESCO for hosting lunch with leaders from across the French early years sector. We discussed the importance of early education, the similarities and differences between our two systems and how we can learn from each other. @UKinFrance 🇬🇧🇫🇷

Today I'm in Paris to learn more about the early years sector in France. I had a great start to the day with British Ambassador @MennaRawlings where we discussed the importance of supporting parents and children. @UKinFrance 🇬🇧🇫🇷👇🏽

6.30am early doors run in the rain in Paris ahead of a full day of @educationgovuk visits and meetings. 🌧🏃‍♂️

I pay tribute to our brave servicemen and women for their dedication, hard work and efforts to keep us safe at home and across the world.

Brilliant to mark #ArmedForcesDay in Colchester City at the @16AirAssltBCT Garrison Show.

Thank you for your service
#WeSaluteTheirService

Staying active is so important. That's why I'm pleased to announce that the £320m PE and sport premium will continue for another year, so that more schools like @floragardensw6 can offer their pupils enriching sporting opportunities ⚽🎾🏀🏈

Here's my Colchester constituency casework infographic for last week setting out new cases opened on behalf of constituents and the broad issues raised. If you are a constituent and need my help with any issue please get in touch.

We are levelling up opportunities for children with special educational needs.

Read my letter to council chief execs: new guidance and research to help target high needs funding to effectively support young people in the area, ahead of transformative #SENDReview changes.

Great to listen to the important views of young people with care experience at the #DayofAction roundtable event today on a panel alongside @JoshMacAlister and @helenhayes_ chaired by @Rachel_deSouza.
I am committed to ensuring their voices are championed as we reform the system.

Thank you @AdoptionUK for inviting me to speak at the launch of the Barometer report this afternoon. Great to meet some adopted young people and their families and listen to their experiences of the system. Lots for us to consider in our National Adoption Strategy.

Thanks to @10DowningStreet and @DianaAward for hosting the #SpeakOutAboutBullying reception. Bullying can have a devastating impact on mental wellbeing, which is why we teach pupils about the importance of respect and tolerance. Together we can make a change.

It was great to hold a roundtable with @WalkerWorcester @MattHancock and stakeholders yesterday to discuss our shared commitment to making sure pupils with dyslexia and those who struggle with literacy get the support they need to succeed in their education.

Colchester M&S Update

I’ve had a really positive meeting with the team at M&S HQ in London this morning, to discuss the future of the Colchester High Street store and any future possibilities for M&S in Colchester City centre.

Great to meet members of @AmbitiousAutism's youth network to discuss the #SENDReview and their experiences of education. The consultation is live until 22nd July. I'd encourage as many young people as possible with experience of the SEND system to share their views.

Thank you Parent Zone, @ISDglobal and @GoogleUK for inviting me to join an Internet Citizens day at Philip Morant School, Colchester. The Internet is a truly brilliant thing but ensuring that young people have the skills to be safe, resilient and confident online is so important.

A pleasure to meet with the new @EssexPoliceUK North Essex Local Policing Commander, Chief Supt Claire Talbot. We took the opportunity for a Colchester city centre walkabout with PC Dex Adams to discuss some of the local issues. Essex Police are doing a great job keeping us safe.

Visiting Oxford House School, Colchester this morning for an assembly and Q&A with years 5 and 6. It was great to talk about my role as Colchester's Member of Parliament and to respond to some very well informed questions. 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

Thank you to @KensingtonRoyal and @Earlychildhood for hosting a roundtable today. We discussed their latest research and how government, sector experts and practitioners can raise awareness of the importance of early childhood in shaping lifelong emotional and physical health.

Great to have been part of the #SFPCLearningEvent this week to share learning from our Strengthening Families programme and highlight the important work that Family Safeguarding, No Wrong Door and Family Valued are doing to help families stay together. https://tinyurl.com/ycxwbwrj

The government has now responded to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child @UNCRC on how we are strengthening children’s rights in the UK.

Thanks to @ukinsweden and @Solnastad for an informative day looking at different childcare models. I'm determined to tackle the cost and availability of childcare for working parents, which means improving our evidence about what works from our international neighbours. 🇬🇧🇸🇪

This afternoon I visited 4 types of Swedish childcare in @Solnastad – state-run, independent, one run by the Swedish Outdoor Association & a parent co-operative. The ‘Solna model’ is seen as an example of best practice in how it supports families and offers wide choice.

I joined @matzskolledarna of the headteachers union @skolledare to get a view from the sector about professional development, training and recruitment. Really useful to hear about regional differences, costs per provider and the high parent satisfaction here @UKinSweden 🇬🇧🇸🇪

In a country with no enforced childcare ratios, it was interesting to meet with @skolinspektion - Sweden's equivalent to Ofsted – to discuss the different ways of providing high-quality care and education without compromising safety. @UKinSweden 🇬🇧🇸🇪

Thanks to Emma Ölmebäck, State Secretary for early years education and childcare, my counterpart in Sweden, for a helpful meeting about the pioneering ‘Nordic model’ used here and how we can learn from this to tackle the costs for working parents in England. @ukinsweden 🇬🇧🇸🇪

Great to kick off a busy day in Stockholm with British Ambassador @JudithMGough to discuss Swedish families’ access to high-quality childcare, employment and economic support. @UKinSweden 🇬🇧🇸🇪

Great to celebrate the success of our @educationgovuk Holiday Activities and Food programme at No10 today. We are supporting thousands of disadvantaged children across England with enriching activities and healthy meals during the school holidays, backed by £200m a year to 2025.

Today, we have announced that all 1.25 million children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will get more funding for their free school meals. We're investing circa £18 million more for schools who can backdate costs to April, in recognition of rising prices.

https://tinyurl.com/27n3nbkp

Great to celebrate how sports organisations and supermarkets are supporting @educationgovuk funded Holiday Activities and Food clubs in their local areas with @nadhimzahawi @HuddlestonNigel @VictoriaPrentis and @SusanAclandHood at No10 today.

I am very disappointed that last night, development on Middlewick was moved one step closer by Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green councillors.

Middlewick should NOT have been included in the Local Plan. The final decision now lies with every Borough Councillor at Full Council.