THE Conservatives want to ensure that every child has the best start in life.

Over the last five years the Conservatives have made difficult decisions to rescue the economy and cut the deficit in half, whilst ensuring in key areas like education the schools budget was protected and rural under-funding was addressed.

For example education funding in Herefordshire was increased by £137 per pupil, a total of £2.6 million extra for local schools, helping to address historic under-funding and to safeguard our children’s future.

Conservative education reforms mean there are now over 4,000 academy schools and 300 free schools, where teachers have greater freedom for the direction of their schools.

I was delighted I was able to help preserve Dilwyn Primary School which is now operating successfully as a free school.

A number of other schools in Herefordshire have taken advantage of our education reforms to become academies or free schools including Ashperton Primary School, John Masefield High School and Lady Hawkins High School.

Nationally we will ensure all 1.89 million school age children under-7 have free school meals and we will make Britain the best country in the world to develop skills in maths, engineering, science and computing.

We will not leave our young people behind after school either.

We will create three million new apprenticeships and make sure there is no cap on university places so our young people can pursue whatever course they choose to.

With a strong economy the Conservatives will ensure education is properly funded so every child can enjoy the best start in life.

We will ensure a good primary school place for every child and we will turn every failing and coasting secondary school into an academy and deliver free schools where parents and communities want them.