After a disruptive two years of education, the imminent return to the classroom for the start of a new school year will hopefully bring some sense of normality for pupils and parents.

I am conscious the pandemic has brought considerable stress to pupils, parents and teachers, who have sought to find any way they can to augment the shift to online learning that occurred last year. A silver lining from the cloud of the pandemic may prove to be the significant investment in laptops and remote learning devices made by the government, which may offer lasting benefits even as pupils return to the classroom.

For those who gained public exam qualifications, in general marks this year were very good. But questions around grade inflation are a concern. So I am convinced the fairest method to assess students are by public exam, once they can be sat safely and fairly.

I am aware Ministers are continuing to monitor the impact of the pandemic on all pupils this year, to ensure that all those due to take exams in 2022 are supported to move to the next stage of their lives. I understand that Ofqual and the Department for Education launched a consultation which concluded in August on how to approach arrangements for 2022, and that decisions will be made and announced later this month.

I have always undertaken regular visits to the 53 schools in the Ludlow constituency, but with the advent of the pandemic, I have had few opportunities to visit local schools. But with covid restrictions now behind us, I shall be resuming my visits this month, which will help me understand better how local schools have adapted their teaching methods to support pupils.

Despite the disruption to physical visits, I have been in contact with local headteachers throughout the pandemic, to offer any support I could – especially during the lockdown phases, where continuity of staffing was difficult, and additional resources were required from the Department for Education.

I have also been keen to engage local pupils with the forthcoming COP26 Climate Change conference. Each school has been able to request a resource pack, to learn more about the conference and what it hopes to achieve.

I look forward to my visits to local schools in coming months. If parents have feedback on the way in which their children’s school has adapted to covid, whether good or requiring improvement, please do email me at philip.dunne.mp@parliament.uk.