An incoming Labour government would recruit thousands of new teachers in an attempt to cut vacancies and close skills gaps across the profession, the party’s leader, Sir Keir Starmer, will announce today.

Outlining Labour’s “ambitious school improvement plan” on the final day of the party’s annual conference in Brighton, he will also pledge to reform Ofsted “to focus on supporting struggling schools”.

Labour says its “National Excellence Programme” would be funded by ending tax exemptions for private schools.

Kate Green: Lack of school masks guidance this term ‘inexplicable’

Wes Streeting: Private education would become ‘redundant’ under Labour

Viewpoint: Taxing private schools: the truth behind the bluster

But heads’ leaders have said they are “far from convinced” that this would cover the cost of the plan - “not least because it may result in the closure of small independent schools, displacing their pupils and the associated cost into the state system”.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Overall, this plan gives the outline of a promising sense of direction but one which will obviously need to be filled in with much greater detail.

“We would be very happy to work with Labour on the development of its proposals by giving the perspective of leaders from all types of schools and colleges.”

The news comes after shadow child poverty secretary Wes Streeting used his conference speech on Tuesday to announce that a Labour government would make private education “redundant” by improving the life chances of all state school pupils.

Meanwhile, speaking to Tes from Brighton, shadow education secretary Kate Green was strongly critical of the government’s handling of the Covid crisis in schools.

She said it was “inexplicable” that stricter guidance on mask-wearing in schools was not in place this term, given the rate of Covid cases.

Trailing today’s conference speech, Labour said Sir Keir would put “state education at the heart of his vision for Britain”.

The plan would “boost the number of outstanding schools in all areas of the country, drive up standards and enable every child to achieve their full potential”, the party said.

It would also involve “providing teachers and headteachers with continuing professional development and leadership skills training”.

On Labour’s vision for education, Sir Keir will say: “I want every parent in the country to be able to send their child to a great state school.

“On top of that, 40 per cent of young people leave compulsory education without essential qualifications. What does that say about their future? We will not put up with that.

“That is why Labour will launch the most ambitious school improvement plan ever.”