In a speech earlier today, the Prime Minister Kier Starmer confirmed, Labour’s Plan for Change: A Focus on Early Years.
A New Era of Opportunity
Labour’s “Plan for Change” places a strong emphasis on the early years of a child’s life, recognising its pivotal role in shaping their future. The party acknowledges that a child’s background should not dictate their life’s trajectory.
Key Focus Areas:
- Best Start in Life:
- Accessible, Integrated Support: the government aims to provide comprehensive support for parents and children during the crucial first 1,001 days of life. This includes antenatal classes, health visitor services, parenting support, and baby and toddler groups.
- High-Quality Early Education and Childcare: They intend to increase access to affordable, high-quality early years education and childcare. This will involve expanding funded hours, supporting the development of school-based nurseries, and investing in early years practitioners.
- School Success:
- Excellent Teaching and High Standards: the government is committed to ensuring that every child receives a high-quality education, with a particular focus on disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
- Tackling School Absence: They aim to address the issue of school absence, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This will involve improving attendance rates and supporting young people’s sense of belonging.
- Skills for Opportunity and Growth:
- Diverse Pathways: the government recognises the importance of diverse pathways to success, including high-quality apprenticeships, college education, and university.
- Skills Development: They aim to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace, through initiatives such as apprenticeships and further education.
A Milestone for the Future:
The government has set a specific milestone to measure progress in early years development: increasing the proportion of 5-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment to 75% by 2028. This ambitious target will require significant investment in early years education and childcare.
By prioritising the early years, Labour aims to create a society where every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background.
More details can be found on this here: Break Down Barriers to Opportunity – GOV.UK
