← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
Educational Opportunities in Semi-rural Areas
07 May 2025
Lead MP
Josh Dean
Hertford and Stortford
Lab
Responding Minister
Stephen Morgan
Tags
NHSEducationEconomyHousing
Word Count: 9517
Other Contributors: 16
At a Glance
Josh Dean raised concerns about educational opportunities in semi-rural areas in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The debate seeks solutions for these challenges including better post-16 provision, increased access to apprenticeships and industry placements, improved public transport services, enhanced mental health support, and more efficient handling of education, health and care plans.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Young people in semi-rural communities like Hertford and Stortford face challenges such as high cost of living, lack of affordable housing for teachers, reduced external services previously provided by local authorities, and limited access to apprenticeships and industry placements. These issues include transport connectivity barriers, mental health crises exacerbated by isolation, and difficulties faced by children with special educational needs and disabilities in accessing timely support and school places.
Amanda Hack
Lab
North West Leicestershire
She focused on post-16 education access in rural communities, highlighting the additional barrier of transport for young people trying to reach suitable courses.
Anna Sabine
LD
Frome and East Somerset
She highlighted challenges such as affordable housing, mental health issues of young people, lack of reliable public transport, unaffordable school transportation costs for families in Beckington village, the need for free school meals due to sparse bus timetables, and unreliable broadband infrastructure.
Chris Vince
Lab/Co-op
Harlow
He highlighted the transport challenges faced by young people in semi-rural areas like Harlow, mentioning that some families spend hours driving children to and from school each day. He also addressed road safety issues in his constituency.
West Dorset
Young people in rural areas face barriers due to disappearing bus services, unsustainable travel costs, dangerous cycling conditions on rural roads, and limited access to mental health support. The Government funding for the bus service improvement plan is inadequate.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab/Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Transport in rural and semi-rural areas is often more expensive than in urban areas due to a lack of subsidies, highlighting the financial burden on families.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Provided a perspective from Northern Ireland regarding barriers to education, including financial pressures and the impact on rural schools. He highlighted issues of declining pupil numbers and funding disparities between different schools.
Josh Dean
Con
Hertford and Stortford
Thanked all hon. Members for their contributions, specifically the Liberal Democrat spokesperson and shadow Minister.
Josh Newbury
Lab
Cannock Chase
Discussed challenges in securing primary school places in semi-rural areas, mentioning that over 160 families in his constituency were refused school applications for September. He emphasized the impact of unplanned growth on local capacity and school admissions.
Julia Buckley
Lab
Shrewsbury
Julia Buckley raised concerns about funding and geographical access to education for 16 to 18-year-olds in Shropshire. She noted the centralization of sixth forms leading to geographic barriers, lack of public transport, and high costs of annual bus tickets affecting young people's aspirations.
Lisa Smart
LD
Hazel Grove
Supports the emphasis on transport connectivity and highlights challenges faced by young people in her constituency due to lack of bus routes, advocating for viewing transport as an asset for educational access.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Reading Central
Agrees with the hon. Member about the challenge of affordable housing for teachers in semi-rural areas. Matt Rodda discussed recruitment and retention issues for school teachers in Reading and Berkshire due to high house prices and cost pressures. He highlighted the challenge with certain shortage subjects and called on the government to address these issues.
Natalie Fleet
Lab
Bolsover
Bolsover lacks a sixth form, and young people rely on parents or barely existent public transport to attend college. This limits their opportunities for higher education and future success.
Peter Prinsley
Lab
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
He discussed the importance of apprenticeships and technical education, especially for major infrastructure projects like Sizewell C. He suggested a formal network of further excellence technical colleges.
Rebecca Paul
Con
Reigate
She emphasised that while rural pupils often outperform urban counterparts in attainment measures, disadvantaged pupils in semi-rural communities actually underperform. She also discussed practical barriers such as transport and digital infrastructure issues.
Honiton and Sidmouth
Devon faces challenges with teacher recruitment and retention, unreliable broadband connections, and cut bus routes, all affecting educational opportunities in semi-rural areas. The University of Exeter’s new postgraduate certificate in education approach is seen as positive.
Terry Jermy
Lab
South West Norfolk
Terry Jermy highlighted the importance of educational achievement in rural areas, citing personal experience growing up in rural Norfolk. He emphasized that poverty rather than rurality affects educational attainment and noted barriers such as transport issues and limited subject choices at schools.
Government Response
Stephen Morgan
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
Government Response
The Minister acknowledged the challenges faced by young people in rural areas regarding distance and transport to post-16 education. He highlighted the Department's commitment to ensuring everyone has access to education opportunities regardless of their background or location. The Government offers a 16-to-19 bursary fund for schools and colleges to support financially disadvantaged students with additional costs such as transport, equipment, books, and other educational expenses. Local authorities are responsible for providing travel support based on specific needs, local transport options, and available resources. The Minister also mentioned that mental health support teams continue to be rolled out across the country, aiming to reach at least 50% of pupils and learners by the end of this year. Discussed the Department's commitment to addressing challenges in the SEND system through early intervention and inclusive provision, announced an extra £1 billion for high needs budgets, and highlighted work with a neurodiverse taskforce.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.