The Labour leader set a goal of half a million more children reaching their early learning targets by 2030…reports Asian Lite News
Sir Keir Starmer pledged to smash the “class ceiling” if his party wins the next election, as he sets out plans to reform the education system in a major speech.
The Labour leader set a goal of half a million more children reaching their early learning targets by 2030 as he expands on the party’s intention to improve teaching for the under-fives.
Modernising the curriculum to abolish the “snobbery” surrounding the “academic/vocational divide” and ensure young people have a grounding in both will also form part of the mission, he said.
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The ‘academic for my kids; vocational for your kids’ snobbery. This has no place in modern society
In a speech in Gillingham on Thursday, the Labour leader warned the “class ceiling” is stifling opportunity for too many children across the country in terms of pay, promotions and work opportunities.
He said, “There’s also something more pernicious. A pervasive idea, a barrier in our collective minds, that narrows our ambitions for working class children and says, sometimes with subtlety, sometimes to your face: this isn’t for you. Some people call it the ‘class ceiling’ – and that’s a good name for it. It’s about economic insecurity, structural and racial injustice – of course it is. But it’s also about a fundamental lack of respect. A snobbery that too often extends into adulthood. Raising its ugly head when it comes to inequalities at work – in pay, promotions, opportunities to progress.”
The speech focused on the last of the five missions set by the party, which is well ahead of the Conservatives in opinion polls – a pledge to “break down barriers to opportunity”.
It included promises of skills reform to offer more chances for young people to engage in vocational learning and for adults to retrain in new areas, as well as to ensure every child has a specialist teacher in their classroom.
In an article for The Times, the former director of public prosecutions said a Labour government would put more focus on pupils’ speaking abilities as part of efforts to help youngsters with future careers and life skills.
He said it was “short-sighted” that the current curriculum was not delivering when it came to oracy skills.
“An inability to articulate yourself fluently is a key barrier to getting on and thriving in life,” wrote the qualified barrister. “It’s key to doing well in that crucial job interview, persuading a business to give you a refund, telling your friend something awkward. Oracy is a skill that can and must be taught.”
During his speech in Kent, Sir Keir also touched again upon pledges to change the planning system to build more houses so that 1.5 million people can become homeowners.
He said that including everyone in the new economy is vital if Britain is to succeed in a rapidly changing world, by preparing all children for a future that will be shaped by artificial intelligence, genomics, and technologies that “stretch the boundaries of our imagination”.
The Labour leader said, “I’m serious – the sheep and goats mentality that’s always been there in English education. The ‘academic for my kids; vocational for your kids’ snobbery. This has no place in modern society. No connection to the jobs of the future. No – for our children to succeed, they need a grounding in both. Need skills and knowledge. Practical problem-solving and academic rigour. Curiosity and a love of learning, too – they’ve always been critical. But now – as the future rushes towards us. We also need a greater emphasis on creativity, on resilience, on emotional intelligence and the ability to adapt. On all the attributes – to put it starkly – that make us human, that distinguish us from learning machines.”
Education groups and unions welcomed Labour’s proposals, but said they must be matched by significant extra investment.
This announcement sketches a broad and ambitious programme of reform. If implemented boldly and funded well, it will repair much of the damage of the last 13 years
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “I’m delighted to see Labour’s bold ambition to get 80% of young people educated to A-level or technical equivalent as well as the recognition of the need for a cohesive post-16 education system, with colleges and universities both playing to their strengths.”
Labour last month backtracked on its £28bn green prosperity plan, instead choosing to delay the spending pledge if it gets into Downing Street, while Sir Keir has dropped his leadership campaign commitment to abolish university tuition fees.
Conservative cabinet minister Keegan said: “Labour’s empty words are easy – delivery is difficult. Under Labour we had worse standards in schools, poorer outcomes for kids, and skills training that promoted pole fitness and balloon artistry. Labour offers nothing but flip flop after flip flop, from tax hikes to tuition fees – showing there is no guarantee that they will even stick to their word.”
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