Reacting to Labour's announcement on education, Anna Feuchtwang, NCB's Chief Executive, said:
“With the latest figures showing that 4.2 million children are growing up in poverty, many of them in working families, the Labour party’s education reforms must start by providing greater economic security for all.
“We are disappointed that Sir Keir Starmer failed to offer a clear vision for improving childcare and early education in his speech. With no further investment or concrete plans for building a highly skilled workforce, these announcements will not deliver the world-class early education and care our youngest children deserve. We urgently need an early years workforce strategy, similar to the one we have for the NHS, to ensure that inequality in early education is dealt with.
“For children in school, rebuilding the crumbling buildings and decimated morale of teachers must be top priorities and will require substantial investment.
Anna Feuchtwang - CEO
“For children in school, rebuilding the crumbling buildings and decimated morale of teachers must be top priorities and will require substantial investment. We welcome the enhanced role for Ofsted, which must result in better safeguarding of pupils and improvement to their wellbeing. However, the measures announced today provide little comfort for children with special education needs and disabilities who are waiting for action to address the failings of the SEND system.
“The sad fact is that our education system is failing to keep pace in preparing children for the future and does not redress the rampant poverty that divides our society. Sir Keir Starmer wants to give every child opportunities to succeed but this will never be possible without substantial investment in the full range of services that children and families rely upon, or tackling the cost-of-living crisis that holds too many children back.”