Labour governments have historically prioritised education as a means to promote social equity and economic opportunity. But what does Keir Starmer’s Labour party have in store for education? We take a look at what newly appointed Minister for Education, Michelle Donelan, has highlighted as priorities for the UK’s education system.
A Focus on Equality and Inclusivity:
- Reducing the Attainment Gap
A core element of Labour’s educational policy is reducing the attainment gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Aiming to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds receive the support they need to achieve on par with their more privileged peers, this could mean increased funding for schools in deprived areas, additional resources for students with special educational needs, and targeted interventions to support underperforming schools.
- Free School Meals and Breakfast Clubs
Labour emphasize the importance of addressing child poverty as a means to improve educational outcomes. They pledge free school meals and breakfast clubs for all primary school children to ensure that all children start their day well-fed and ready to learn, positively impacting on their ability to concentrate and perform academically. This £315 million cost will be met by closing non-dom tax loopholes.
Investment in Early Years, SEND & Mental Health
- Expanding Early Years Education
Labour is advocating for substantial investment in early years education and SEND provision, recognising its critical role in a child’s early development and calling for inclusivity. They plan to open an additional 3,000 nurseries at a cost of £35 million through upgrading space in primary schools.
- SEND Provision
A ‘community-wide approach’ will be taken to SEND to support more children to feel included within a mainstream setting, whilst providing access to expertise and equipment within SEN schools for students with more complex needs.
- Mental Health Support
They plan for all students in every school to have access to specialist mental health professionals (£175 million) to tackle problems before they escalate.
VAT on Private School Fees
- Labour plan to levy 20% VAT on private school fees as part of their plan to raise the £450 million funds needed to recruit 6,500 new teachers.
Curriculum and Ofsted Overhaul
- Curriculum Review
Labour plans to undertake a review and revamp of the national curriculum with an expert-led panel comprising of subject specialists, parents and employers to ensure it is broad, balanced, and inclusive. Emphasis will be placed on critical thinking, creativity, and preparing students for the transition to employment. Vocational education and training as alternative pathways for students who may not be best served by a purely academic curriculum will play an important role.
- Ofsted Reform
At an estimated cost of £45 million, Labour plan to reform Ofsted replacing the single score with a 360-view report card to better inform parents of how schools are performing. Regional improvement teams will be set-up to ensure school-to-school support, ensure best practice and improve operational excellence.
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
- Address Staff Shortages
Labour plan to recruit an additional 6,500 teachers in areas that are struggling to recruit teaching staff and for subjects where there are shortages of experts. All new teachers must have or be working towards QTS and pay and bursaries will be reviewed to ensure the teaching profession is an attractive career choice and to support with teacher retention. Workload will also feature as a top priority to address to ensure teachers are fully supported and to prevent burn-out.
- Continuing Professional Development
Labour places a strong emphasis on continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers. Ensuring that teachers have access to regular, high-quality training can help them stay up-to-date with the latest educational practices and innovations, share best practice and develop knowledge-rich lesson plans which benefit and engage students.
We hope the change of government to Labour is the catalyst for change and significant investment into the education sector in our country. We all want an education system that offers every child the opportunity to succeed.
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