Labour promised a sea of changes in the party’s election manifesto, but how is this playing out so far for education and what challenges lie ahead? Here Pepe Di’Iasio takes a deeper look.

A sea change?

There was no mistaking Labour’s pledge to the electorate in July’s General Election. It was emblazoned in bold letters on the front of its manifesto: Change.

So, how has that promise played out for education in England thus far? And what are the major challenges the government will need to address during the course of this Parliament?

The story so far

Labour’s first two months in office (I am writing this in early September) have been a mixed bag. The 5.5% pay rise for school teachers, coupled with additional funding, was vital for recruitment and retention and in recognition of cost-of-living pressures. Finding the necessary funds was a significant challenge for the Treasury – but it grasped the nettle.

But what about college teachers? Their pay, already lagging behind that of school teachers, has seen no additional funding for pay awards, likely resulting in a further widening of the salary gap. This comes at a time when the government is supposed to be bolstering skills education.

The scrapping of graded judgements in school inspections was another welcome move, but soured again by a lack of clarity (at the time of writing) over when this will follow for colleges.

Then there was the regrettable decision regarding applied general qualifications. The failure to meaningfully pause defunding while a review is undertaken leaves post-16 providers uncertain about which qualifications they can offer next year.

The handling of the VAT levy on independent school fees has also been unsatisfactory. The only consultation has been on the technicalities of draft legislation, with no consideration of the policy’s impact on independent schools – particularly smaller ones – or the state sector.

As I said, it’s been a mixed bag, and the new government has yet to truly tackle some of the most significant and challenging issues in education. Here are four of them:

1. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Few issues are more pressing or important. Improving a system that is buckling under the strain of high demand and chronic underfunding is crucial to addressing other challenges – closing attainment gaps, improving outcomes, enhancing social equity, making school and college finances more sustainable and much else besides.

However, this is a complex and difficult task, requiring not only substantial investment but also improved staff training and schools having access to the specialist support they need, such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists.

Time is not on the government’s side. The crisis is happening now, and there is much to be done. The parliamentary term will slip by quickly unless this is made an immediate priority.

2. CHILD POVERTY

The government acted swiftly in establishing a cross-government taskforce, which is expected to publish its strategy in spring 2025. However, this must result in tangible action sooner rather than later, and it will undoubtedly require significant funding to implement.

The urgency is underscored by grim statistics. Over four million children in the UK live in poverty, with about one million of them experiencing destitution – the severest form of poverty. Since 2017, the number of children living in destitution has nearly tripled – a 186% increase.

Not only is this deeply damaging to the wellbeing of these children, but their capacity to learn is also severely hampered by a lack of basic amenities. Addressing child poverty is fundamental to closing the disadvantage gap.

3. STAFF SHORTAGES

While the pay awards for school teachers in England this year and last represent an improvement over previous years, recruitment and retention issues remain significant. This is not limited to school teachers but extends to support staff and colleges.

Pay structures are disjointed, with business leaders and college teachers operating under different arrangements to school teachers, creating inequities that leave them feeling undervalued and demoralised. Workloads remain a pervasive issue across the education sector, which is under pressure and under-resourced. Moreover, the increasing prevalence of hybrid working in other professions presents a challenge for schools and colleges where this is often not possible. Labour has pledged to recruit 6,500 new teachers – a welcome move but insufficient to fill the current gaps.

These various strands need to be woven into a cohesive national recruitment and retention strategy, supported by the necessary investment to ensure pay is competitive.

4. THE FORGOTTEN THIRD

The government’s curriculum and assessment review has a monumental task ahead. Suggestions are pouring in from all quarters, but any changes must be implemented with care to avoid overwhelming schools and colleges. This is why the government has spoken of evolution rather than revolution.

It is crucial that the focus is placed on the right priorities, and this must include improving the prospects of the forgotten third (www.ascl.org.uk/forgottenthird). We need an assessment system that recognises proficiency in English and maths, rather than one that condemns a third of students to a treadmill of GCSE resits because they do not achieve a Grade 4 ‘standard pass’.

This benchmark carries far too much weight, affecting the educational and career prospects of the young people concerned, as well as their life chances. It has become a proxy for how we measure literacy and numeracy levels in our society.

We need a criterion-referenced assessment that all young people can achieve in English and maths, which is universally recognised and valued. And we need to abolish compulsory resits.

Five years

Is all of this achievable in five years? Probably not. But imagine if the building blocks were firmly put in place and progress was made on each front.

We would be much closer to having a well-functioning special educational needs system, an end to child poverty, sufficient staffing and improved morale, and better outcomes for the forgotten third. Now that really would be change.

Pepe Di’Iasio
ASCL General Secretary
@pepediiasio

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