ONE of my favourite parts of being an Assembly Member is getting the opportunity to visit local schools across Cardiff South and Penarth.

I recently visited Fairfield Primary School, which brought me back to thinking about the set of school visits I did when I was first elected as an Assembly Member in 2011.

As a government, improving education has at times been challenging. Reforms and investment in education can take years to set in, and it can be a long time before you see results.

However, in the years between my first set of school visits and my most recent one, it is clear to see the improvements that have been made.

I was given a great tour of the Fairfield by its School Council, and of particular interest was the brand new reception building they now have. This sort of investment isn’t uncommon.

The Penarth Learning Community is another shining example of this. A new building and a new start for two fantastic schools, St Cyres and Ysgol y Deri, whose pupils will now study in state of the art facilities. £33 million was given to the project by the Welsh Government as part of the 21st Century Schools project, with the Vale of Glamorgan Council giving an additional £15 million.

This investment across our constituency hasn’t happened by accident. It’s a direct result of the priorities a government sets, and education is a top priority for the Welsh Labour Government.

It’s a tragedy to see the inverse of this in England, where the Schools for the Future programme has been scrapped, and the progress we’re seeing in schools in Wales simply isn’t happening.

And the new school buildings aren’t just there to look nice. Having children across Wales studying in state of the art facilities is showing dividends. Estyn, the schools watchdog, recently stated that standards in Welsh schools are rising, and Wales has also just seen its best ever year for GCSE results.

This progress is the result of investment by the Welsh Government, but as ever the most important factor in educational achievement is the time and effort of teachers, pupils, and their families. The Welsh Government aims to provide the best possible setting for these people to improve education in Wales, and I hope this partnership continues into the future.