The government’s flagship National Tutoring Programme is failing pupils and taxpayers, only reaching a fraction of the pupils who need it, Labour’s shadow schools minister will say today.
Stephen Morgan MP is also set to accuse the government of a lack of ambition over its forthcoming White Paper, which is expected to focus on all schools being in multi-academy trusts (MATs).
The shadow schools minister will also say that Labour would reform Ofsted to ensure it is supporting school improvement and “not just delivering a high-stakes, one-word verdict on your hard work”.
Mr Morgan is speaking at the Institute of Government and Public Policy’s Schools and Academies Event in London today.
He will say: “Many of you will have seen first-hand the generational recovery challenge our children, and therefore all of us, face.
“The pandemic threatens to cast a long shadow over opportunities and life chances. Children’s recovery presents a historic challenge and we must rise to it.
“But there has been a complete absence of leadership and ambition from this government.”
Mr Morgan will also highlight how former recovery commissioner Sir Kevan Collins’ plans were not backed by the Treasury, and will criticise the government’s efforts to ensure pupils catch up on disrupted learning through tutoring.
He will say: “The government’s National Tutoring Programme is failing pupils and taxpayers. It’s reached a fraction of those who need it.”
Mr Morgan will also criticise the government over its forthcoming White Paper.
He will say: “Many of you will know that the long-awaited education White Paper will finally see the light of day in the coming weeks.
“I know that many of you will also be hoping that it will address the day-to-day challenges you face and support you as you help children achieve their own dreams. But I’m afraid we might be disappointed.
“In the last few weeks, the education secretary has been proudly promoting his big idea that every school should be in a multi-academy trust.
“Is that it? Is that really summit of this government’s ambitions for our schools and children?”
Mr Morgan will also outline previously announced Labour education policies, which include:
- Recruiting 6,500 new teachers and closing the vacancies gap.
- Reforming Ofsted’s role to “ensure it is proactively supporting school improvement”.
- A professional development fund for teachers
- An Excellence in Leadership programme to support new headteachers throughout their early years in the job.
Labour announced plans to reform Ofsted at its annual conference last year.
Earlier this month at the Association of School and College Leaders conference, shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said that she wanted to look at the way Ofsted inspection grades were considered.
