Liberal Democrats know education is the best long-term investment we can make in our children and our country.

Education unlocks potential. It increases choice and social mobility. It enhances individual careers and national productivity. And, in a fast-changing world, lifelong education creates the know-how to adapt.

Investing in our education and training system from early years to adult education should be a “no-brainer”. Shamefully, under the Conservatives, education spending has fallen as a share of national income and rampant inflation has eroded budgets.

Increase funding and fast-track repairs

This must change. Liberal Democrats are committed to real-terms, year-on-year increases in per-pupil funding above the rate of inflation for both schools and colleges. We will also reverse cuts to school capital funding, build new schools and fast-track repairs to end the shame of crumbling buildings.

Unlike the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats understand the impact Covid-19 has had on our education system. It has had a particularly detrimental effect on children’s mental health. One in five children and young people had a probable mental condition in 2023 and the wait for help is far too long for many.

To help, Liberal Democrats will ensure every school, both primary and secondary, has a dedicated and qualified mental health professional so that everyone has someone they can turn to for help.

In government, we introduced the pupil premium, which targeted funding at our most disadvantaged school children. Now, we think it’s time to extend this to 16- to 18-year-olds.

Liberal Democrats believe every child can achieve great things if they receive the right help. So, Liberal Democrats will offer a “Tutoring Guarantee” for every disadvantaged pupil who needs extra support. We will allow school and college leaders to decide how best to do this, not bury them under red tape.

Boosting free school meals offer

Free school meals were introduced as a way of giving children a healthy lunch every day and saving parents hundreds of pounds a year.

But the Conservatives have slashed funding in real terms despite food prices going through the roof. When children go hungry, they make less progress, have poorer behaviour and have worse health outcomes.

An analysis by PWC found that every £1 spent on free school meals for the poorest children generates £1.38 in core benefits. This includes boosting the lifetime earnings of those children by almost £3 billion.

So Liberal Democrats will extend free school meals to all children in poverty.

Changing Ofsted

We also understand the need to reform the Ofsted regime. The government has chosen to defend the use of single-word judgements rather than listening to what the Commons Education Select Committee, the profession and most parents want.

Single-grade judgements should be replaced with report cards that show parents the true strengths and weaknesses of a school.

There needs to be a root and branch reform of Ofsted as it’s far too high stakes. Instead, Ofsted needs to be much more holistic in its approach and to work with schools, providing guidance and support when they need to improve, rather than simply changing governance.

This Conservative government has sucked the life out of the curriculum and the joy out of teaching for many. Liberal Democrats recognise the need to work with teachers, heads and parents to lay the foundations for a better, fairer future.

Hiring more teachers

The government has missed their own teacher recruitment targets year after year and is driving tens of thousands of young teachers out of the profession, leaving millions of children to be taught by someone who isn’t an expert in their subject.

Almost a third of teachers quit within five years of qualifying and the number of teaching vacancies has more than doubled in the past two years.

Liberal Democrats will create a teacher workforce strategy to ensure that every secondary school child is taught by a specialist teacher in their subject and fund teacher training properly so that all trainee posts in school are paid.

Liberal Democrats will face up to the crisis in special educational needs, not run from it. We will create a national body for special educational needs and disabilities and give it £300 million so it has the muscle to relieve the pressure on council funds and create an environment where families and local authorities can work together, not against each other, as is often the case now.

Gillian Keegan was the fifth secretary of state in four months when she took over in October 2023. Teachers, parents and young people can’t afford five more years of Conservative economic chaos and leadership churn.

It really is time for a change.

At the heart of the agenda

It’s time to put education back at the centre of the government agenda, where it belongs. That is why Liberal Democrats will appoint a cabinet minister for children and young people responsible for delivering positive change.

It’s time to recognise education is the infrastructure of our future, not a current account cost.

It’s time to recognise the vital role that teachers play in our communities and deal with the dilemmas they face.

It’s time to end the reign of a government that too often uses children and education as a football in its divisive culture wars. Education should be used to build bridges, not wedges.

In many places, Liberal Democrats is the alternative to the Conservatives. On 4 July, you have an opportunity to vote for a change. Let’s end this tired Conservative regime and take a step together towards a fairer, brighter future.

Munira Wilson is the MP for Twickenham and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for education

Both the Conservatives and Labour have been approached to offer an article on their views on educational policies. Neither have replied as of yet but we will publish any piece if forthcoming.

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