THIS week marks the start of the new school year, a time when many young people across County Durham will be starting their further and higher education courses after successfully gaining GCSE and A-level qualifications at our schools and colleges.

Once again, the county’s exam results have been excellent. The average attainment grade at A-level has increased to a B- compared to a national average of C+.

The proportion of students achieving grade B or above in key subjects such as maths, English and science has also increased to 13.9 per cent. This is compared to 10.2 per cent last year. At GCSE level, the proportion of pupils achieving success at grade four or above in both English and maths is 60 per cent. This matches last year’s performance, which was a significant improvement from 56 per cent in 2017.

Can I congratulate our young people on performing so well especially at a time of great change to both exam systems.

It is incredibly important that we not only encourage our young people to aim high but that we provide the tools and support to achieve their ambitions. Of course, we all want our children to be the best they can, but it is also essential to nurture their talent if we are to grow the county’s economy.

That’s one of the reasons why Durham County Council currently already employs 204 apprentices and has recently taken on a further 68 who will work in a wide range of roles across the authority.

Furthermore, if we are to retain this talent within the county we also need to ensure the future offers the prospect of a plentiful supply of high-quality, skilled jobs for our young people.

The proposed development of the Aykley Heads site would be one such investment, with the prospect of up to 6,000 jobs for generations to come.

Similarly, Durham University has ambitious plans to invest in the city, providing even more opportunities for study, while a number of other economic developments continue across the county.

There are so many paths our children can take and it is important that we support them as much as we can, not only for their benefit but for the long-term prosperity of County Durham and the wider region.

Councillor Simon Henig is leader of Durham County Council