Education
Tackling Persistent Absence
Let us commit to building a future where every child feels safe, supported, and valued in our schools.
MW
16 Mar 2024
As of February 2023
Education
We believe in giving broader education opportunities for both children and adults.
Key Policies
- Extend free school meals to all children living in poverty.
- Give every adult the chance to learn new skills with money set aside by government when you are 25, 40 and 55 to take new courses.
- Introduce a "curriculum for life" that gives children the skills they need to thrive in the real world.
- More funding for special education and further education to help those who want to better themselves but need most help.
- Reinstate maintenance grants for university students so they can graduate without an overwhelming amount of debt.
Education
Schools' spending power slashed
Schools in Somerset are set to be hit with a £11.1m cut to spending power in 2024-25, data from the National Education Union (NEU) reveals.
31 Jan 2024
Latest UK News
Munira Wilson introduces Schools' Mental Health Bill to Parliament
Munira Wilson MP has brought a bill before the House of Commons today, aimed at ensuring every school has a qualified mental health professional.
MW
9 Jan 2024
Every pupil should be in a position to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances. The unfortunate reality however is that there is an education gap and it is growing due to a poor allocation of resources. By failing to recognise the changing needs of society and sticking with outdated systems and approaches, we are not allowing people to make the most of their potential.
The pandemic made existing inequalities in our education system worse. It's in all our interests to address them.
It's not just traditional learners that need support. Adult learners, whether people trying to further themselves, pursue a dream, or learn new skills for the next stage of their work life, face an uphill struggle. Adult education also provides enormous benefits to individuals and society. They should be helped and supported.
Solutions
These are among the policies we have to improve education in the UK:
For young people
- Free school meals for every child living in poverty, and vouchers for school holidays, to ensure children are well-fed and nourished
- Affordable internet access so children in lower income households have equal opportunity when it comes to digital learning.
- A "curriculum for life" that teaches young people how to deal with issues they will face in day-to-day life and so better prepare them for the real world.
- Invest more time and resources to help children recover from the effects of the pandemic, including increased mental health support. We would redistribute money currently held centrally to local authorities so they can spend it more effectively (the Youth Investment Fund and National Citizen Service (NCS) are examples of programs that would benefit for a more local perspective.)
- Greater funding for special educational needs schools and services
For adult learners
- A "Skills Wallet" that sets aside money for every citizen that they can spend on learning new skills at key ages and so stay relevant and thrive in the ever-changing world of work. The government will put £4,000 in your wallet when you turn 25, £3,000 at age 40, and £3,000 at 55.
- Greater funding for further education colleges to provide broader and better courses for adult learners.
- The reintroduction of maintenance grants for universal students so they are able to graduate without alarming levels of debt.