I know that many families will be enjoying their summer holidays at the moment, but perhaps you’ve started to think about school next term.

Students across Watford will have received their GCSE and A-level results by now, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on all your hard work and wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do next.

For many of you that will mean staying on at school or college, but for others it might mean starting an apprenticeship, starting work or going to university. With 5,000 apprenticeship starts in Watford since 2010, there is now more choice than ever for young people. But access to a first class education is so important.

Improvements to standards mean that 4,000 more local children are being taught in good or outstanding schools as compared with six years ago.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the temporary site for Croxley Danes, a brand new secondary school, which opened last September. This is the sixth new school to open in our area in the past eight years, with Watford’s University Technical College opening a few years ago, as well as four new primary schools. This is on top of the new facilities built at some of our existing schools, including Frances Combe, Westfield Academy and Garston Manor. Watford Boys’ and Girls’ Grammar have been expanded too.

We’ve seen more than £60 million of government funding to expand schools, update facilities and increase the number of schools places. I will continue to push for investment so that teachers can continue to do their best for our children and young people.

- Richard Harrington is Conservative MP for Watford