Last week I attended a packed parliamentary debate about the funding of further education colleges to highlight the challenges facing standalone sixth forms like Havering Sixth Form College in my constituency.

This morning I received confirmation from Education Minister, Lord Agnew, that a number of bids from our schools for improvement funds have been successful! The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) received requests for more than 4,500 projects to this year’s round.

Big things are happening in the Eastern London/Essex/Estuary region, with expanding ports, more homes and new transport infrastructure.

The whole community will share my distress over the utterly senseless loss of a 17 year-old girl from a fatal stabbing in Harold Hill at 9.25pm last night.

My team and I arranged for Environment Secretary, Michael Gove MP to visit Thames Chase Community Forest in Upminster this morning to see first-hand the fantastic work of local volunteers in restoring London’s lost landscapes and making green spaces accessible to all.

I have been contacted by the educational charity, Inspire Schools, advising of the London Teacher of the Year Awards which recognises the dedication of outstanding teachers and non-teaching school staff.

We know residents have a range of concerns about crime and community safety in the constituency and we have been trying to organise a meeting between key stakeholders in the borough at the Town Hall to ensure we have a joined-up strategy for tackling crime.

This afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting the leadership team and school council of Drapers' Pyrgo Primary School, Harold Hill.

My team and I visited the beautiful new buildings of Drapers' Maylands Primary School this morning, and met dedicated and passionate head teacher, Trudie Spillane.

This afternoon we visited Forest Approach Academy, Harold Hill, to see staff and students and have a tour of the school.