“A new era of childhood calls for a new era of education”

Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, plans to outline her vision for a new era of education during a wide-ranging address at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) conference in Liverpool today [Friday 13 March].

Her goal is to ensure every young person can contribute to both society and the economy. In her address, Bridget Phillipson intends to draw a clear line in the sand, ending the years in which people treated schools as isolated institutions and ushering in a new era of support both inside and outside the school gates.

Government action to support families

The education secretary’s speech seeks to point to the government’s action to lift the two child benefit cap. The government have also pledged to put a family hub in every local council and provide 30 hours of early years education. This signals a new recognition of the critical role these factors play not only in supporting families, but in improving life chances for children and young people.

The Education Secretary also intends to speak to more vital reforms this government has made. These include expanding mental health support teams to all schools, rolling out free breakfast clubs and extending free school meals to half a million more children.  

Key messages of the speech

In her speech, Bridget Phillipson has planned to say: 

“Colleagues, the changes you have seen in your classrooms over the past decade — the poverty, the additional need, the technology — this is a new era of childhood, and it calls for a new era of education. An end to policy in parts. Instead, a village around the child. Every child. With schools as the beating heart of that support.

“And yes it’s about every child, but it’s also about the next chapter in our country’s story. Because if we have every young person leaving education ready to contribute to the economy, to society, to the world that awaits them, it’s the whole country that reaps the rewards. This is, in the purest sense, in our national interest.

“So, our reforms begin today, but they take us into the 2030s and beyond — our schools at the centre of a strong and confident nation, and a modern Britain, with opportunity for all.” 

The speech follows the publishing of the government’s schools white paper which presents the blueprint for opportunity for the next generation, with an education system that truly serves every child.  

SEND reforms and major investment

The vision is that generational reforms to SEND will ensure every child with additional needs will benefit from better, more tailored support. To support this goal, the government unveiled a landmark £4 billion investment to make every school truly inclusive and transform outcomes for children. 

Alongside this, for the children who need a little extra help, the government has announced funding to launch a new ‘Experts at Hand’ service. It has pledged a £1.8 billion investment over 3 years to create a bank of specialists like SEND teachers and speech and language therapists in every local area. The aim is for schools to be able to use this service on demand, meaning every child will have access to these resources if they need them.