How to improve social mobility

Social mobility across Britain is in a rapid decline, with children from poor backgrounds now having less chance of improving their prospects then they would have done in the 1950s. Top jobs in journalism, media, medicine and law are dominated by workers who have enjoyed the benefits of a private education. Internationally, Britain has one of worst records for social mobility in the Western world, and this has to change.

There are many causes for these problems, but a theme which underpins them all is education, the engine of social mobility. Since the abolition of grammar schools in 1976, social mobility has effectively ground to a halt. Our once competitive education system, offering a route out of poverty for millions of poor children, now does not. Michael Gove has described this as a “deep rooted problem in our country” and he’s right.

In Croydon when grammar schools converted to comprehensives they effectively became abolished.  This resulted in us losing our brightest pupils to grammar schools to Sutton, Bromley and Kent, a problem that still occurs today.

I have personal experience of this, having grown up in Croydon and going to school at Regina Coeli in Waddon before finishing my studies at Wallington High School for Girls in Sutton. Getting into grammar school transformed the prospects of my family, allowing me to be the first person in my family to go to university, enabling me to achieve.

I believe that education is the engine of social mobility, a privilege that transforms the lives of children financially and culturally. We have a duty in Croydon to help the brightest children from disadvantaged families reach their full potential. Grammar schools provide their students with aspirations and fill them with the self-confidence to fulfill them.

Grammar schools offer hope and excellence to those who need it most and will provide life changing educational opportunities to some of the most disadvantaged families.

Like the boroughs that surround us, Croydon should be a place famous for its quality grammer school education. Offering disadvantaged kids an opportunity to benefit from teaching excellence will encourage social mobility and improve lives for many children and their families.

Supporting Aung San Suu Kyi in her struggle

One of my heroines Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in the UK yesterday on her 67th birthday. She is on a two-week long tour around Europe and on Saturday collected her Nobel Peace Price in Oslo, 21 years after it was awarded to her in 1991.

In 1988 she was an Oxford housewife, raising her two young sons. However when she returned to Burma to nurse her sick mother, she became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement. During the last 24 years there have been several assassination attempts on her life, her supporters have been killed or imprisoned and she was placed under house arrest for 15 years. Yet she persevered and carried on fighting for democracy and speaking out against the regime. In 1999 she faced an impossible choice; to either leave Burma forever to nurse her dying husband or stay in Burma to fight against the regime. She chose the latter and was rewarded by being elected to parliament in April with her party winning 43 out of the 45 seats contested in by-elections. The next landmark for her is Burma's 2015 general election and if they are free and fair then she will probably be elected to lead Burma's government.

For the first time in 24 years she has been able to leave Burma, trusting President Thein Sein's promise that she will be allowed to return after her tour.

After being awarded an honorary degree in 1991 from her old university of Oxford, she finally collected it today- its citation said:

“Here you studied and formed friendships, here you knew the delights of youth, here as a wife and mother you lived a quiet domestic life, until your love of your country and passion for the cause of freedom summoned you back.

But you were forced to leave behind a beloved husband and children, so that your return to your native land was made into a kind of exile.

For many years you bore the burden of isolation, displaying patience and endurance to a degree no easily imagined.

Your silence has sounded longer than the jabber of politics and the clang of military power.

Out of deep darkness your little lamp has shone across the planet. Your stillness has moved the world.

Sitting in this theatre, we are conscious that we are also spectators of a drama played in the theatre of the nations, one whose ending is as yet unsure.”

This citation provides a poignant reminder that her political struggle for freedom is not yet over in Burma and that we all have a duty to support 'The Lady' with her ongoing fight.

Jubilee Celebrations in Waddon

I was lucky enough to spend Monday celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at the local Waddon Street Party organised by Grace Faddon and the local Residents Association. As always, there was a solid turnout from local Waddon residents who brought along cakes, sandwiches and treats for the kids. Grace and her team had been up since the early hours putting up the bunting, setting up the stalls and organising all the elements that made the day so special.

The Jubilee celebrations across the whole of the country have been nothing short of spectacular. The events over the weekend have inspired communities to come to together and hold street parties and other events, under a shared banner of pride in our Queen and all that she’s done for us. But as always it was the community spirit of Waddon residents that made our street party so special and a weekend to remember.

Waddon residents celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!

Looking forward to Jubilee Weekend

This weekend will see thousands of events taking place across the UK, celebrating our Queen’s Jubilee.

From an early age the Queen showed us what sort of monarch she would be. Whilst in South Africa on her 21^st birthday she poignantly said: “I dedicate my life, be it long or short to the service of our great family of nations.”

During her reign the Queen has dedicated 60 years of her life serving our country.  She is currently the Patron of over 600 charities and organisations, over 400 of which she has held since 1952.

She has answered over 3.5million items of correspondence and every year hosts more than 58,000 people at banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and garden parties at Buckingham Palace and Holyroodhouse.

Across Croydon hundreds of street parties have been organised and I am looking forward to celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee this weekend.

Croydon Question Time coming to Waddon

Tomorrow evening, members of the council’s cabinet and senior council officers are coming to Waddon to talk to residents about the issues that concern them. 


Come along and meet Croydon’s decision makers face-to-face where they will answer local resident’s questions on issues that concern them. 


The event will be held at St Andrew’s CofE High School, Warrington Road and chaired by the Acting Archdeacon of Croydon, the Revd Canon Dr Barry Goodwin on Tuesday 22nd May, 7.30pm to 9pm. 


Refreshments will be provided and to attend please register by emailing: communications@croydon.gov.uk or simply turn up on the night. However, as space is limited places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 


For more information please click here 

Waddon Gets a Spring Clean

This afternoon, Waddon residents came together for a special Love Waddon action day. Having grown up in and been to school in the area, I know the people and hardworking spirit that runs through the community very well. As always with Waddon events, there was huge turnout as many house proud neighbours came out in force to give the area a tidy up and help out their fellow residents.

When I arrived things were starting to get underway. We had face painting sessions for the children, skips for waste and many volunteers helping out residents who are elderly and disabled.

Helping out - residents working together

What struck me most about this event is just how happy Waddon residents are to help out their neighbours and work together to improve their local area. You really have to see it on the ground to understand what a thriving place the ward really is. Having grown up, gone to school and got married in the Hilton in Waddon, it’s always been a special place to represent and a flagship area for our town.

But Waddon has much more to look forward to over the coming months, as it won’t be long before the leisure centre with swimming pool, gym and other state of the art features is up and running.

Working together with an unbreakable community spirit, our ward will continue to be an extra special place to live and work in.

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Love Waddon Clean Up

This Saturday Croydon Council is organising a community clean up event throughout the Waddon estate, centred around Houlder Crescent. It will provide a chance for all residents to come together and give the area a spring clean.

It will focus on clearing gardens of unwanted rubbish and the local garden centre has kindly donated items such as plants, seeds, potting compost and pots for people to use in their gardens.

Along with the clean up there will be:

- Free skips for rubbish clearance

- Volunteers to help the elderly and disabled tidy their gardens

- Refreshments at St George’s Church, Barrow Road

- Face painting

- Garden competition

- Vouchers and goodies from local garden centre

- Swap shop- bring unwanted items to exchange

I hope to see you at the clean up as it will be a chance for lots of residents to come together and help improve Waddon.