What Could a Labour Government Mean for Education Suppliers?
Exploring Key Policy Changes, Funding Announcements, and Opportunities for the UK Education Sector
With Labour having been confirmed to have won the 2024 General Election, we here at GovNet have decided to take a deeper look at what this could mean for those looking to sell into the UK education market. Within this introductory preview piece, we will look at some of the key questions you may have:
What does the Labour manifesto say about education?
Who is the new Education Secretary?
What could the impact be for you as, education suppliers?
Outlining the Key Points of The Labour Manifesto on Education
Curriculum, Assessment and Ofsted
Labour will launch an expert-led review of curriculum and assessment to design a modern curriculum that prepares young people for work and life
On Ofsted Labour plans to end single word judgements and will bring in report cards with annual checks on safeguarding and attendance and will also look to inspect multi-academy trusts as well as schools themselves
Introduce a new focus on improving schools with new regional teams to drive better outcomes for children
A renewed focus on numeracy to encourage ‘stronger lifelong numeracy’ including an expert-led review.
Review early-language interventions in primary schools and ensure it is ‘evidence-based’
Recruitment, Retention and Teacher Training
Labour wants to tackle the teacher shortage crisis by recruiting 6,500 new ‘expert’ teachers in key, shortage subjects.
Further reforms to the teacher training process include the introduction of a teacher training entitlement to ensure teachers stay up to date on best practice and continuing professional development amongst other changes designed to improve retention as well.
SEND, inclusion and mental health
Take a community wide approach to SEND whilst focusing on improving “inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs”
Make sure admissions decisions “account for the needs of communities” and require all schools to “co-operate with their local authority on school admissions, SEND inclusion, and place planning”
Provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so “every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate”
Vocational and Technical Education
High-quality apprenticeships and specialist technical colleges
Support children to study a creative or vocational subject until they are 16, and will ensure accountability measures reflect this
Guarantee training, an apprenticeship, or help to find work for all 18- to 21-year-olds
Reform the Conservatives ‘broken’ apprenticeship levy by creating a flexible Growth and Skills Levy, with Skills England consulting on eligible courses to ensure qualifications offer value for money
Other:
3,000 new primary school-based nurseries
Free breakfast clubs in every primary school at a cost of £315m funded through the closing of the non-dom tax loopholes
Improve careers advice in schools and colleges and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person
Improve data sharing across services with a single unique identifier for children
Protect time for physical education, and support the “role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport”
Launch a new national music education network – a “one-stop shop with information on courses and classes for parents, teachers and children”
Ensure schools “address misogyny and teach young people about healthy relationships and consent”
Introduce a supervised tooth-brushing scheme for 3 to 5-year-olds, targeting the areas of highest need
Who is the new Secretary of State for Education?
Bridget Phillipson, the new Education Secretary
Bridget Phillipson, the new Education Secretary is the Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South. She was safely returned to her seat with a new majority of 7,168.
Bridget has led a varied political career since first being elected in 2010. She has served on a number of committees including the Home Affairs Committee, Public Bill Committee, Procedure Committee and the Public Accounts Committee and also spent 5 years serving as the secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Bridget has become an integral part of the Labour front bench since Starmer’s leadership election and served as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Shadow Chancellor’s Anneliese Dodds and Rachel Reeves before being moved to Shadow Secretary of State for Education in November 2021. A role she has remained in until now.
Within this role she has announced a number of new education policies in the run-up to the shock general election as outlined above.
The Elephant in the Room: Will a Labour Government Mean More Money for Schools?
What do the experts say?
On the point of there being more money for schools under this Labour government, at the moment it is very hard to say due to the fact that they have committed to very little, when it comes to headline education spending figures. This is also something that has been picked up on by the experts:
According to the IFS: ‘Labour made no overall commitments on school or college funding for the next parliament’
Furthermore, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has stated that; ‘The Labour manifesto seeks to tackle more of the immediate challenges facing the system, including through a more whole-child approach by introducing a child poverty strategy and new Young Futures Hubs. But there are still key omissions from Labour, particularly around school and college funding.’
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) seems to agree with the positions of the IFS and EPI in outlining that overall, there a number of positive things regarding education within the Labour manifesto but again questions Labour’s funding plans when stating that; ‘The policy of charging VAT on private schools is something Labour needs to consider very carefully to fully understand all the possible implications. In any case, this is not going to be enough on its own to solve the funding crisis in the education system and there remains a big question over how Labour is going to address this.’
There have however been specific, targeted funding announcements that may have some impact on your as education suppliers if these are areas that you currently operate within. For example;
£450m to recruit an additional 6,500 ‘expert’ teachers in shortage subjects
£315m in funding for breakfast clubs
£270m for an increase in training for headteachers and teachers
£175m to provide mental health support for every school
£85m to provide work experience and careers advice for all young people
£45m to cover the costs of proposed Ofsted reforms
£35m to open more than 3,000 new school nurseries
£5m for early language interventions
Conclusion: What Does all this mean for you as Education Suppliers?
Whilst the above funding announcements are welcome it remains to be seen what Labour’s plans are for the overarching level of funding for the education system. However, historically education is an area that Labour in government has invested heavily in which if proven to be true this time around would present a fantastic opportunity to suppliers who sell into the education sector as it should mean that schools, across the board have more money to spend on a whole range of things from EdTech to facilities and estates.
If we take the above individual funding announcements it would appear that suppliers focused on recruitment, retention and teacher training would stand to benefit as well as those working within mental health and careers. Whilst it is too early to say, definitively that Labour will increase education spending across the board, the early signs are at least promising in certain areas and hopefully as the government ramps up its plans in its first 100 days more funding announcements will be outlined that will in turn boost those looking to sell into the education sector. As and when these plans are announced we will be taking a further look at what this will mean for education suppliers.
Don't miss the opportunity to connect with public sector leaders and discuss how these changes can benefit your business. Join us at the Schools and Academies Show, the first major gathering of education public sector leaders post-election. Secure your place now to meet and network with key decision-makers. Contact us today to learn more and book your spot!