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Labour pledges to recruit 6,500 new teachers
Keir Starmer reveals ‘steps for change’ including teacher recruitment, childcare and curriculum improvements.
4 minute read
Bex Johnson
Today, Thursday 16th May 2024, Labour Party Leader, Keir Starmer outlines how the Labour plan to deliver change.
Starmer announced six ‘first steps for change’, including the recruitment of 6,500 new teachers in ‘key subjects’.
Asserting that: ‘Each year one in four children leave primary school behind in maths and in reading’, Starmer is calling for higher standards in schools.
‘A world class teacher in every classroom’
Starmer aims to ensure all children have access to high-quality education through targeted recruitment in the subjects with shortages and schools where recruitment and retention are more difficult.
Starmer expressed: ‘We haven’t got enough maths teachers in our secondary schools for those up to age 16’. The high-quality teaching of maths and science will be prioritised through recruiting specialist teachers in these areas.
He asserts this will ‘set children up for life, work and the future’.
Starmer confirms funding for this will be paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.
General Secretary of the National Education Union, Daniel Kebede, welcomed the pledge for 6,500 additional teachers, who ‘are desperately needed and would contribute to better life chances.’
Despite there being no ‘simple fix’, Kebede agrees that ‘investing in a high-quality and experienced teaching profession, where expertise is retained, is excellent value for money and links directly to good outcomes and success for students.’
A curriculum with ‘greater breadth’
Starmer also pledges to review the curriculum, placing more focus on creativity, digital communication and speaking skills which he asserts will ‘set young people up for life and work’.
The Labour Party criticises the current system as ‘too narrow’ and failing to set children up for the future.
To better prepare children for the future, it is proposed to provide more opportunities for studying non-core subjects such as music, physical education and the arts and to make changes to how schools are held accountable for this.
‘Give children the best start’
To break down barriers of opportunity, the Labour Party will ‘create a modern childcare system with breakfast clubs in every primary school to give children the best start.’
All children in England will have access to a free breakfast club as a safe space to set them up for the day under a Labour government.
This will be ‘paid for by closing the loophole which allows some mega-rich people who live in the UK to avoid paying tax’.
‘Better wellbeing for young people’
Also proposed are plans to employ mental health support staff in every school, also paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.
‘We need to concentrate on creativity, on confidence – what a difference that makes – and the resilience that all children and young people need.’
What’s next?
Keir Starmer asserts his wish for ‘every child, whatever their background, to think that success belongs to them, that they don’t have to change who they are to get on.
‘This labour party will fight every day to give those children a future which is fit for them.’
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