Every time I visit a school in Wycombe, I know that I am seeing the future in front of me. The children in these classrooms are the teachers, engineers, artists, footballers – and maybe even politicians – that will shape our country into the next century.
But they are facing a world which is changing at a pace none of us have experienced before. As the online world and technology becomes ever more integrated into all of our lives, our children’s ambitions but also their worries feel bigger than ever.
And children’s worries reflect those of their parents and communities – seeing their parents work harder, often across multiple jobs, yet still struggling to afford basic essentials.
All of this means that the gap between the haves and have nots has become a gulf. Parents whose children have SEND, are on low incomes, especially white working class children, end up fighting for support that is readily available to others.
The result – children who could achieve so much are never given the opportunity. This isn’t by mistake – it is the direct result of a system which told children their effort, determination, and hard work only mattered if you fit the mold.
When you elected me to represent you, it was to uphold our values – that hard work should be rewarded, and talent recognised no matter where it is found. That’s why Labour has published groundbreaking reforms to education which will ensure every child in our community is able to fulfil their ambitions.
It rejects the Conservative notion that attainment can only be improved within the four walls of a classroom. We all know that schools are part of our communities, and that is why a Labour vision for education goes further.
A child born under this Labour government will be set up to succeed from their earliest years, with 30 hours of funded early education. Their parents will have a Best Start Family Hub in their community for every-day help and support, reviving the legacy of Sure Start that we know changed millions of lives.
They will not be punished by the two-child benefit cap. And when they get to school, they will have free school meals if they need them.
And in school, we will give them access to the rich and broad curriculum that sets them up for life, delivered by teachers who are better trained than ever. And for children with SEND, we will deliver earlier support to enable them to thrive, not simply write them off.
This is a generational reform with a bold ambition: by the time children beginning reception this Autumn finish secondary school, we will have raised standards for all and halved the gap in exam results between richer and poorer children.
Doing this will not always be easy. Creating genuinely inclusive schools, where children with SEND get the support they need when they need it will take time – which is why we are committing to building this system over the next four years working with parents and schools.
Some changes will be opposed by those who don’t believe in the life chances of every child, who want to guard not spread opportunity.
Our reforms are guided by a simple truth – aspiration and inclusion go hand in hand. We need to improve results, and maintain academic rigour. But we don’t achieve this by abandoning children to focus only on a select few.
These reforms are a step-change in the level of ambition that is shown for every child in our community – real change that you voted for, delivered by a Labour government.