Labour | Schools Week

Labour’s policies reveal dividing lines are forming

Starmer’s conference pledges lack detail, but it would be unfair to expect a fully-developed platform at this stage, writes Tom Richmond

School funding will remain below 2009 levels despite government’s spending boost

School spending will still be lower per pupil by 2023 than more than a decade ago under the last Labour government, a new analysis has estimated. Cash available for schools in England will be between 1 and 2 per cent lower in real terms – accounting for inflation – in 2022-23 than it was in […]

2022 exams: Labour wants ‘standardised’ teacher grades as plan B

Labour has called for a “standardised” version of teacher-assessed grades as a plan B in case Covid forces another year of cancelled exams. If exams go ahead, the opposition is calling for grades to be pinned at 2020 levels, despite concerns over “baking in” grade inflation. But, setting out its own proposals for GCSE, BTEC […]

Kyle: Labour won’t ‘meddle’ with successful schools

A Labour government will not “meddle” in successful schools or launch a “revolution” in school improvement mechanisms, says the new shadow schools minister. But the schools community faces a long wait to see a “fully formed” set of education policies from the party. We want a virtuous circle, and where that exists, we will not […]

Reveal 2022 exams plan by September at the latest, government told

Pressure is growing on the government to publish its 2022 exams plan as new analysis by Labour found year 10 pupils have missed on average one in four days of school this year. Last month, education secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs they were looking at a “similar set of measures” for 2022 as those proposed […]

Green: Extended school day could be used to teach more ‘life skills’

An extended school day could be used to fit more “life skills” into the curriculum, the shadow education secretary has suggested. Kate Green told the Festival of Education this morning that “proper time” was needed in the curriculum for skills like managing money, understanding our political system and cooking. Green announced earlier this year that […]

Peter Kyle appointed as shadow schools minister

Peter Kyle has been appointed as the new shadow schools minister, Labour has announced. Kyle has been MP for Hove since 2015, and has served as shadow minister for victims and youth justice since last year. He replaces Wes Streeting, who was promoted over the weekend to a new shadow cabinet-level role covering child poverty. […]

Streeting: Ending child poverty must be ‘central mission’ for Labour

Coming up with a plan to end child poverty must be a “central mission” for the next Labour government, Wes Streeting has said, following his promotion from the role of shadow schools minister. The MP for Ilford North and former National Union of Students president also said he would continue to work “really closely” with […]

Starmer: ‘Supporting and empowering’ teachers ‘central’ to Labour’s education vision

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has told a union conference that “supporting and empowering” teachers to “deliver a world-class education” is “central” to Labour’s vision for education. However, the leader of the opposition did not expand on his party’s plans to back teachers. In a short video message to the NASUWT conference, Starmer said […]