A leaked copy of Labour’s draft manifesto reveals the party’s plans for schools.
Schools Week exclusively saw an early copy of the manifesto.
The party will sign-off on a final version today, but here is the full list of schools policies in the draft.
Schools policies in leaked Labour manifesto
1. Reduce class sizes to under 30 for 5, 6 and 7 year olds
2. Introduce free school meals for all primary school children. This would be paid for by removing VAT exemption on private school fees
3. Abandon baseline tests and review SATs
5. End the public sector pay cap, which affects teachers
6. Give teachers “more direct involvement” in the curriculum
7. Reduce “monitoring and bureaucracy”
8. Consult on teacher sabbaticals
9. Reintroduce national pay bargaining
10. Undo requirement for schools to pay the apprenticeship levy
11. Extend school-based counselling to all schools
12. Deliver a “SEND strategy based on inclusivity” and increase SEND teacher training
There is also a commitment in another section of the manifesto to review the English Baccalaureate subjects and consider the inclusion of arts subjects.
Four policy foundations
Four policy “foundations” are also important in the education section of the manifesto.
They state that the party will:
- Make sure schools are “properly” resourced – which involves “reversing” cuts and giving schools the “resources they need”
- Encourage “cooperation and strong leadership across schools”
- Allow local authorities to “open schools” and require joined-up admissions policies
- Develop pathways through different types of qualifications
It’s disappointing there is nothing on selection. Why can’t Labour give parents in selective areas a way to get rid of the 11-plus? It can be a gradual 5 or 10 year plan. Their position on grammar schools is inconsistent. Plenty of people in selective areas would be glad of a chance to phase in comprehensive education.
I realise that this is a petty point, but you say that “Schools Week exclusively saw an early copy of the manifesto”.
Exclusively means to the exclusion of all others.
As I understand it, the manifesto was initially leaked to the Daily Mirror and then published in full online for the world and his wife to read.
So what’s with all this “exclusively saw” thing?