How will the new Labour government affect the education sector?

The Labour party are back in Downing Street after a significant 14 years of Conservative governance. It’s the first time that Labour got a House of Commons majority since Sir Tony Blair’s win back in 2005. Kier Starmer, the Prime Minister of the new Labour government, included education in his 5 key “missions”, pledging to reform the education system. With education at the forefront of the Labour manifesto, it’s likely that those of us in the education sector will be affected. Here we discuss the immediate changes and what we can expect further down the line.

So, how is the new Labour government going to affect your school?

Reforming the education system is a slow burn, something that will likely take years of work and funding. What changes can we expect immediately?

Labour have vowed to bring back free school breakfast clubs for all primary school students, regardless of household income. As yet, Labour has not said when these breakfast clubs will begin.

Many of us in the education sector are holding our breaths, waiting for news on the 2024-25 teacher pay award. After months of strike action from teachers, the former Conservative government accepted the independent pay review body’s recommendation of a 6.5% pay rise back in September 2023. The Labour government did not promise a pay rise in their manifesto. They did, however, pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers and put £270 million into teacher training.

The party also expects to raise £1.5 billion from its plans to apply VAT and business rates to private schools. We have not received clarity on when this will be imposed and how it will be introduced. 

Labour is turning its attention towards Multi Academy Trusts, saying it will introduce Ofsted inspections and new Regional Improvement teams. In an attempt to hold trusts accountable, Labour is appointing former education recovery minister Sir Kevan Collins as an adviser.

Labour’s manifesto also acknowledged SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) funding and provision, stating that SEND pupils are not currently having their needs met. They have promised to improve inclusivity in mainstream schools and council cooperation. As of yet, there have been no outlined tangible actions on how they will achieve this. 

Kier Starmer has also vowed to change Ofsted reporting from single word summaries to report cards, giving a more holistic view of a school’s performance. As of now, there is not much information on what exactly this report card could look like.

In conclusion…

In conclusion, we know that changes to the UK education system are coming but are lacking clarity on when or how. Here at Streetspace Structures, we welcome your forecasts and opinions. How do you think the education sector will be impacted over the coming months and years?