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  Charlie on his visit to Aycliffe, I believe Brian took him for a drink afterwards.
  
  
  We are so lucky to be British. Living in the developed world we have a level of prosperity that developing nations do not. That’s why it’s so important that we do our bit to help people in other nations with international aid. That was my message to pupils at Aycliffe Community Primary School when I visited last week. I had received a letter from the school’s “pupil panel” asking what was being done to help people around the globe. So I went to visit the school to discuss what is being done.
  Speaking to the school assembly, I explained how aid is important – yet it must be spent in the right way. It should not go to nations that are able to afford space programmes. It should not be given to governments that make off with the cash. Instead it should go to the people who need it – to make a difference at the front line.
  
  Our international aid budget has been doing much to help young people. Between 2011 and 2015, the UK supported more than 11 million children in schools across the world. That includes helping 430,000 Syrian children get better access to education. Meanwhile, we have helped more than 60 million people get access to clean water, better sanitation and improved hygiene conditions. These are real achievements that we should be proud of as a nation. I was quizzed about the importance of our work around the world and whether we are supporting the United Nations too. It was impressive how the children are concerned to see that we help children in poorer countries. They also care deeply about the environment and the future of our planet – and what we are doing to tackle pollution.
  
  Inevitably I was also asked about Brexit, with one youngster asking: “What continent will be in if we leave Europe?” This question was an incredibly important one. It was about what the future holds for him and his classmates – and what our nation’s place in the world will be in the years to come.
  Rightly so. For we won’t be cutting along a dotted line down the English Channel and pushing ourselves out into the Atlantic. We may be leaving the EU – but we are not leaving Europe. We must remain as outward looking and concerned with continental and global affairs as we have ever been.
  I was hugely impressed by how kind, caring and compassionate the pupils are. Their parents and teachers should all be really proud. The ‘pupil panel’ team put a lot of thought into the questions they asked – and are clearly passionate about helping others. Executive headteacher John Dexter, head of school Jacky Cox and their team deserve great credit for the amazing job they have done at Aycliffe, which has been rated “good” and is now moving towards outstanding. We should all be proud of the children in our community – and their concern for others who are less fortunate.

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