Named after chemist James William McBain, the McBain Medal is awarded annually by the Royal Society of Chemistry and Society of Chemical Industry to ‘honour a younger scientist who has made a meritorious contribution to colloid and interface science.’

Dr Khutoryanskiy’s research focuses on the development of new materials to help in the administration of drugs, the treatment of wounds, and technology to contain innovative treatments such as proteins, bacteria and living cells such as stem cells, which could all help in the fight against disease.

Sharon, a Chemical Physics graduate of the University of Reading who campaigned to save the university’s Physics Department from closure, said:

“At a time when science teaching at universities is facing cutbacks, it is important to trumpet the achievements of those who continue to strive in the field of scientific research and innovation.

“Sadly, efforts to keep the University of Reading’s Physics Department open were not successful but this award will go some way to highlighting the success of the university, which remains on the cutting edge of science research.

“I am very pleased for Dr. Khutoryanskiy and hope to be there for his Medal lecture in 2013.”

Originally published by Sharon Bowles MEP

For 2012-13, the Premium will be worth £1.25 billion in total.

As a result of this next year, more than half a million additional children will qualify for the Pupil Premium.

These are England’s most disadvantaged pupils, including looked after children, and they are set to benefit from £600 each after the Department for Education announced next year’s Pupil Premium will increase by £112 for each pupil.

• In Reading 4,412 are expected to be eligible for the Pupil Premium, meaning that our schools are set to benefit from an extra £2.7 million pounds to support disadvantaged pupils.

Commenting, Cllr Rebecca Rye said:

“We are delighted that despite very difficult financial times Liberal Democrats in Government have taken the decision to increase spending on the poorest children in our communities in Reading.”

“This will help all children in Reading achieve their full potential regardless of their background.”

“Children who have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in their school career have consistently lower educational attainment than those who have never been eligible. Of students gaining three As at A-level in 2008, 30 per cent were privately educated, whereas only 0.5 per cent were eligible for Free School Meals.

“That is why thanks to Liberal Democrats, the Coalition Government is doing the right thing by supporting schools with additional money to support children from less well-off backgrounds. This will help whole classes work better together and move forward faster.”

Commenting further, Liberal Democrat Children’s Minister, Sarah Teather said:

“As we come to the end of the second term of the Pupil Premium we are seeing across the country how these extra funds are making a difference. Additional tuition, better IT resources and closer work with parents are all examples of how the Pupil Premium is being used to support the most disadvantaged pupils.

“That’s why I’m so pleased that, next year, we’ll be extending the Pupil Premium to another half a million children, and increasing the money that schools get to £600 per pupil. This means that, as a result of Liberal Democrats in government, more children will get a better start in life”.

News of the extra cash comes after Ministers recently announced that the total funding available for the Pupil Premium in 2012-13 will rise to £1.25bn, double the amount in 2011-12. It will rise again each year until 2014-15 when it will be worth £2.5bn.

Evidence shows children from low income families generally do not achieve as well as pupils from more advantaged backgrounds. Schools receive this additional funding on top of the existing school budget to support them in reaching their potential and help schools reduce educational inequalities.

Figures published today by the Department for Education have confirmed that Reading schools with pupils from deprived backgrounds in will benefit from additional funding of £1,589,000.
3,527 children in Reading qualify for extra support via the Pupil Premium.

Reading’s most disadvantaged pupils are set to benefit from an extra £58 each after the Department for Education announced this year’s Pupil Premium will increase to £488 per child receiving free school meals.

Schools receive the extra cash for every child eligible for free school meals (FSMs). The money has been released because fewer-than-expected children have registered for FSMs this year.
Announcing the increased funding, Children’s Minister Sarah Teather MP said:

‘The Pupil Premium will benefit poorer pupils, providing extra money directly for those pupils who need it the most.

We know that just 27 per cent of pupils on free school meals get five good GCSE grades compared with 54 per cent of non-free school meal pupils. This extra funding will help tackle this inequality and enable schools to provide the extra support they need to reach their full potential.’

Cllr Rebecca Rye, Lib Dem Education Spokesperson on Reading Borough Council commented:

“This investment will help ensure all children in Reading reach their full potential – regardless of their background or financial circumstances.

“It will help to tackle Labour’s shocking legacy where the richest 16-year olds are three times as likely to get five good GCSEs as the poorest.

Statistics published by the Coalition Government today show over 103,000 additional adult apprenticeship starts over the 2010-11 financial year.

Reading Borough Council recently confirmed that under Coalition administration Reading led the way on apprenticeships in the South East.

Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Reading Borough Council said:

“Expanding the number of apprenticeships was a key component of the Liberal Democrat manifesto at the last General Election and we are delighted to see this longstanding Lib Dem policy now becoming a reality locally as well as nationally.”

“By the end of this Parliament, the Government is committed to supporting an additional 250,000 apprenticeships, compared to the previous Government’s plans – this will be the  biggest increase in UK history.”

“Hundreds of young people in Reading have already benefited from access to an apprenticeships and this news illustrates the real commitment from Business Secretary Vince Cable and the Coalition government to help young people on to the career ladder.”

“The previous coalition administration of the Council helped deliver an addition 310 apprenticeships for local youngsters. We will be calling on the Labour administration maintain and extend these opportunities for young people.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg yesterday announced that the Coalition Government will spend an extra £7bn on giving the poorest children a better start in life.

Commenting Cllr Rebecca Rye said:

“For too long for children living in Reading where you live has determined how well you are likely to perform at School.  This is deeply unfair and it is something Labour failed to tackle after 13 years in power.”

“The Pupil Premium means real investment in the poorest children in our community helping them get the best possible start in life.”

Councillor Kirsten Bayes, Deputy Leader of Reading Borough Council and Group Leader of the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council added:

“The Pupil Premium is about promoting a fairer society and it was a key plank of our manifesto at the last election.

“We warmly welcome the commitment by the Coalition Government in Reading’s children particularly those from disadvantaged background. We will work hard with the government to ensure local children benefit.”

Gareth was speaking at a cross-party debate organised by Reading University Liberal Democrats on Thursday (15 October) on campus. The remarks come after the Conservatives suggested last week they will increase tuition fees to £7,000 if they take power at the next general election, which has to be held by next June.

That will see tuition fees for undergraduates more than double. Currently there is a cap of £3,300 in England and Wales. Peter Mandelson has already suggested that Labour will allow universities to charge more than at present if re-elected – though both Labour and the Tories are sheltering behind a proposed review of fees, too scared to push through the changes they want before June.

Only the Liberal Democrats will scrap tuition fees. The party believes university education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go – and not be put off by the cost.

Reading University’s Liberal Democrats – the biggest and most active political group on campus – compiled a “Debtbusters” video which was launched at the debate. Interviews with 100 randomly selected students at the University showed a total debt of £1,525,700.

Gareth says: “I look around Reading and I see and meet people returning from university with no job and a bank balance tens of thousands of pounds in the red. What sort of message is that?

Rob Wilson was personally responsible for ending the Conservatives’ brief commitment to free tuition. The choice is clear: the people of Reading East can vote for a politician who will condemn a generation of youngsters or for the Liberal Democrats who will make education free again, giving young people the best possible start.”

Cllr Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat candidate for Wokingham constituency which covers half of the University campus, says:
“Labour and now the Tories are showing their true colours. They want to saddle them with staggering amounts of debt. One of the Conservative MPs serving Reading University, John Redwood has long been in favour of increasing tuition fees. I have challenged him to make clear his and his party’s views on student finance to his electorate.”

Mark Whiley, President of Reading University Liberal Democrats, commented:-
“Last week we organised a well-attended cross-party debate on Higher Education Funding with both Gareth Epps and Anneliese Dodds. From those attending it is clear there is still only one party that is committed to giving the choice of a University education based upon acumen and skills, rather than the ability to pay.

Labour and the Conservatives continue to support the broken tuition fees system and bow down to pressures from University bodies to increase the tuition cap – seeing students get into deeper debt isn’t considered an issue for them. The Tories left an empty chair for the debate, so shallow is their vision for students.

Selling off the Student Loans Portfolio to private firms or more than doubling the cap to £7,000 will bring young people into even larger sums of debt than the present average of £20,000 per student. You can only change this by voting Liberal Democrat.”

Editor’s Notes:-

Cllr Epps continued “The plight of social care in Reading is already a cause for real concern. Recent inspections of Reading’s Childrens Services and its Adult Community Care Service revealing underlying problems in Reading that need urgent attention – including a chronic shortage of trained social workers.

The closure of this highly regarded School reflects badly on the senior management of University of Reading. They have delivered a calculated snub to staff, students and the local community.”

Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Education and Childrens’ Services added:

“In the week that Gordon Marshall was revealed to have received an 8% salary increase the closure of the School of Health and Social Care is a false economy. Reading and the Berkshire area as a whole will be poorer as a result as we lose a vital source of highly trained social workers.

Senior management of the University should hang their heads in shame for once again taking a bad decision for the wrong reasons.”

Reading Borough Council’s Chief Executive wrote on behalf of the Council to the Vice Chancellor of Reading University, to express the Council’s concern. The letter followed a Lib Dem motion condemning the closure. The University’s response ran to two lines.

Cllr Daisy Benson, Lib Dem Spokesperson on Health and Community Care said,

“It’s clear the senior management of the University believe they can simply dismiss the concerns of local people. Their response speaks volumes about the University’s attitude towards issues beyond the boundaries of the University campus.”

Editor’s Notes:

The Labour Government announced last year that they were cutting the £100 million Equivalent or Lower Qualifications (ELQ) funding, which has enabled residents to requalify in new skills. After a review, the University has announced the closure of its public programme to new students from May.

Commenting, Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner for Reading East, said:-

“It is absolutely clear that these cuts in adult education relate directly to the Government’s nonsensical cut to ELQ funding. Labour’s slashing of adult education makes a mockery of their so-called commitment to lifelong learning.

Liberal Democrats are pledged to reverse this irresponsible Labour cut. The worry must be that higher education is to suffer even more as the Government tries to pay its way out of its meaningless VAT cut.”

Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Lib Dem education spokesperson on Reading Borough Council added:-

“These cuts are absurd. They come at the worst possible time for the thousands of local people being made redundant, who are looking to retrain in order to resume their careers.”

Karl Hobley, Mature Students Officer, Reading University Students Union commented:

“This is bad news for mature students, but bad news for the local economy, the region, the University as a whole, Readings widening participation agenda and staff now about to lose their jobs.

Now more than ever we need a government who think long term, who look after students and local people unlike the current lot.”

Editor’s Notes:

• Liberal Democrats at their Spring Conference in Harrogate last weekend (6-8 March) overwhelmingly endorsed new education proposals which included a specific commitment to reverse Labour’s cuts to the ELQ programme.

Commenting on the news that the University of Reading’s Senate has voted to close to the School of Health and Social Care, Cllr Gareth Epps, Parliamentary Campaigner for Reading East said:

“This bizarre decision shows the disarray in Labour over child protection and social care. Today they are reacting to the Laming Report by claiming to want more, better trained social workers. But with the same breath they are turning a blind eye while Reading University closes a vital training facility for these workers – with no clear explanation as to why.

The University has just received a savage funding cut, but is still scheduled to receive over £55m of public money over the coming year. It needs to explain why a school which we are told is profitable is facing the axe. If Labour seriously want to solve the crisis in child protection and recruit more social workers, they have got to fund the training needs. Anything else is no less than dishonest.”

Editor’s Notes:

Background to the vote, including reaction from students can be found here

Liberal Democrats have released figures giving the average primary school class size in Reading as 25.7. Lib Dems will be debating a move to cut class sizes to 15 for all five to seven year olds.

The proposal forms part of a raft of measures to be debated this weekend. Other measures in the Equity and Excellence policy paper include:

• Boosting the funding of the poorest pupils to private school levels through a Pupil Premium, enabling schools to provide more one-to-one tuition and extra catch-up classes where needed;
• Replacing the rigid national curriculim with a slimmed-down minimum curriculum entitlement;
• Radically cutting back national testing and re-investing the savings in improving literacy and numeracy.

Further figures released by the Lib Dems show their proposal for a Pupil Premium would give a boost of over £6 million to Reading children alone.

Reading East Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner Cllr Gareth Epps has also tabled a question calling for a further Parliamentary debate to seek national action on the crisis in safeguarding children – highlighted in the annnual council “league table” results published today.

And Reading Liberal Democrats are tipped to receive a national membership award at the conference as one of the fastest-growing groups of Liberal Democrats in the country. The Reading University group – the most successful recruiter at Fresher’s Fair and the only active political society on campus – is taking a minibus full of members for the Conference, which is expected to see the Liberal Democrats retain their popular commitment to scrap student tuition fees.

Commenting, Patrick Murray, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner for Reading West, says:

“Across Reading there are too many pupils who lose out under Labour both locally and nationally. We would – unlike Labour – put the poorest children first and make a massive investment in their future.”

Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner for Reading East, says: “Labour has had a dozen years to close the gap between rich and poor children. It has failed. In Reading it has had even longer.

Smaller class sizes and our Pupil Premium will make a real difference to those Reading children let down by Labour. Free university tuition will remove the barrier to poorer children going to university, and free many thousands from obscene levels of debt.

These policies are reasons why Liberal Democrats in Reading are growing at a rate that is starting to win us awards.”