A Labour government would hire 6,500 new expert teachers and scrap single-word Ofsted grades if elected to power. However, its general election manifesto, launched today, does not include any major new education policy announcements.
Launching Labour’s plans today, leader Sir Keir Starmer said that hiring 6,500 more teachers - which he previously listed as one of the party’s first six main steps for change - would ensure that children get the start in life they deserve.
The manifesto reaffirmed the party’s pledge to replace single-word Ofsted judgements with a scorecard system and to introduce an annual safeguarding check, which would also look at attendance and off-rolling.
It also said Labour would ensure that school admissions decisions account for the needs of communities and require all schools to cooperate with their local authority on school admissions and the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Labour Party manifesto: education policies
Here are the party’s education policies in full:
Recruitment and retention
- Recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key shortage subjects, support areas that face recruitment challenges and tackle retention issues.
- Review the way bursaries are allocated and the structure of retention payments.
- Reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body to address the recruitment and retention crisis in support roles.
- Update the Early Career Framework and ensure any new teacher entering the classroom has, or is working towards, qualified teacher status (QTS).
- Introduce a new teacher training entitlement “to ensure teachers stay up to date on best practice with continuing professional development”.
Ofsted and accountability
Curriculum and school improvement
- Labour will launch an “expert-led review” of the curriculum to ensure it is “rich and broad, inclusive, and innovative”. The manifesto says the reforms will build on the hard work of teachers who have brought their subjects alive with knowledge-rich syllabuses. The review “will consider the balance of assessment methods while protecting the important role of examinations”.
- Create a new Excellence in Leadership Programme, a mentoring framework that expands the capacity of headteachers and leaders to improve their schools.
- New Regional Improvement Teams, which Labour says will “enhance school-to-school support and spread best practice”.
- Support children to study a creative or vocational subject until they are 16, and ensure accountability measures reflect this
- Launch a new National Music Education Network - a one-stop shop with information on courses and classes for parents, teachers and children.
Private schools
- Labour will end the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools and use the funds raised for state-school spending.
SEND and mental health
- Labour’s manifesto says it “will take a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs”.
- Ensure school admissions decisions account for the needs of communities and require all schools to cooperate with their local authority on school admissions, SEND inclusion and place planning.
- Provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school.
Early years, primaries and family support
- Create 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries through upgrading space in primary schools.
- Fund free breakfast clubs in every primary school, accessible to all children.
- Improve the quality of maths teaching across nurseries and primary schools.
- Limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require to bring down the cost of schooling.
- Fund evidence-based early language interventions in primary schools.
Cost of Labour’s manifesto pledges
The Labour manifesto breaks down the expected cost of some of its main education policies.
It says that hiring 6,500 new teachers would cost £450 million. The next most expensive area would be increased teacher and headteacher training, costing £270 million.
The planned reform of Ofsted - which would be expected to carry out multi-academy trust inspections - is said to be costed at £45 million, while providing mental health support in schools will cost £175 million, according to the manifesto document.
Sector reaction to Labour’s education policies
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said Labour was right to focus on “the recruitment and retention crisis facing schools” but needs to make sure any plan includes “competitive levels of pay and a manageable worked”.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed Labour’s promise to tackle child poverty via free breakfast clubs in all primary schools and “a renewed focus on early years education” as “important steps towards tackling the disadvantage gap.” But he warned the party’s pledge on VAT on private school fees would not solve the funding crisis on its own.
Both heads’ union leaders said they supported Labour’s plan to replace Ofsted inspection grades with a scorecard system.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU teaching union, welcomed Labour’s recognition of the recruitment and retention crisis but warned its plan to recruit 6,500 new teachers does not go far enough.
He added that a fully funded pay correction is needed “for the educators we rely on to deliver our crucial education service” in the “interests of parents, young people and the country as a whole, as well as of educators themselves”.
Professor Becky Francis CBE, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, welcomed the manifesto’s focus on disadvantage, evidenced-based education, early years and child poverty, which are all “critical to ensuring young people experiencing socio-economic disadvantage can fulfil their potential” at a time when the attainment gap is the widest since 2012.
She also said it is “great to see such a strong focus on support and training, underpinned by evidence” from Labour as “the evidence is clear that high-quality teaching is the most powerful thing schools can do to ensure disadvantaged young people achieve their potential”.
However, Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, said it is “concerning that there are no concrete plans set out to address the glaring inequalities in access to early years education for the poorest children [or to] close the school attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers” - despite the manifesto including “some sensible policies such as recruiting more teachers, universal breakfast clubs and setting up new nurseries in schools”.
For the latest education news and analysis delivered directly to your inbox every weekday morning, sign up to the Tes Daily newsletter
