CHRIS Vince MP, the Member of Parliament for Harlow and a member of the Education Select Committee, visited Beckmead Moundwood Academy to see firsthand how the school expertly supports its young people and their aspirations for the future.

The school, located on Commonside Road, serves students aged four to 16. It is part of The Beckmead Trust, which provides high-quality education to young people with social, emotional and mental health conditions, autism and challenging behaviour across 12 schools in Croydon and Brent in London, in Essex and in East Sussex. The Trust champions a welcoming, safe and nurturing environment that supports students’ needs and develops their talents.

During his visit, Mr Vince met with Moundwood’s leadership team and toured the school, visiting the primary setting, the cooking room, art and science rooms as well as the core and foundation subject classes.

Mr Vince saw the school’s broad curriculum and extensive enrichment programme in action, which helps students develop important skills both inside and outside the classroom. He also spoke with students and staff about their positive experiences.

Mr Vince also met with a group of Year 11 students to discuss their career aspirations and the school’s work to help young people progress to further and higher education, employment and training.

Students expressed their interest in pursuing pathways, including working with the police, social care, vocational training and football coaching. The visit concluded with Mr Vince praising the students and the school for its support of its young people.

The school received Good in all areas at its latest Ofsted inspection, following a rapid journey of improvement since joining the Trust in 2020. As well as Moundwood, Beckmead is set to open a second school in Harlow in 2027, Greenwell Academy, to further support students with special educational needs in the local community.

Chris Vince, MP for Harlow, said: “It was a pleasure to attend Moundwood Academy recently and see the great work they are doing supporting young people from Harlow and beyond. The dedication and pastoral care that their staff show is clear to see.”

Adrian Applewhite, Headteacher of Beckmead Moundwood Academy, said: “We were delighted to welcome Chris Vince MP to Beckmead Moundwood Academy and show him the excellent work our staff do every day to support our fantastic students.

“It was a great opportunity for Mr Vince to meet our young people, hear about their aspirations and learn more about how our enrichment programme helps them develop the skills and confidence to thrive in their futures. We also had a valuable discussion about how we support students to progress onto the destinations of their choice and have all the opportunities they need to succeed.”