The Education Secretary will today [WEDNESDAY]
herald “a new era of child-centred government where children come
first”, that enables them to achieve and thrive at school and
beyond.
Phillipson will tell the conference that early education
and childcare are her “first priority” as Education
Secretary.
She will reiterate her focus on delivery quality early years
education to reduce attainment gaps between rich and poor
children which open up before they start primary school,
enabling all children to excel once they arrive in
the classroom.
The news comes after the Chancellor's announcement of the roll
out of early adopters to begin delivery of the governments new
free breakfast clubs, two years after the Education Secretary
first pledged to deliver them, further demonstrating that change
has begun in education under the Labour government.
Phillipson has already begun the process of reforming Ofsted by
ending single word judgements, launched a review of the national
curriculum and assessment system, and established Skills England
to provide more opportunities for young people and deliver the
skills businesses need.
This week, the Prime Minister also unveiled plans to reform the
apprenticeship levy into a new growth and skills levy that will
create more high-quality vocational opportunities for young
people, and offer more flexibility for learners and employers.
The Education Secretary will outline her plan for reform of
education “centred not simply on schools or nurseries, knowledge
or skills, university or college…but on our young people: on
their chance to achieve and thrive, to succeed and flourish”.
The Education Secretary will tell the conference that “if we are
to build a better society for tomorrow, we must change the
childhood of today”.
Labour's child-centred approach will focus on breaking down
barriers to opportunity beyond the school gates, as well as those
in the classroom, including mental ill health and child poverty
through measures such as additional mental health counselling
support in schools and developing a comprehensive child poverty
strategy through the Child Poverty Taskforce. Labour will publish
the Children's Wellbeing Bill in the coming months, which will
put children and their wellbeing at the centre of the education
and children's social care systems, and make changes to ensure
children are safe, healthy, happy and treated fairly.
