The Education Policy Institute has responded to education policies set out at the 2023 Labour Party Conference, including a review of Early Years provision.
Commenting in response to the announcements, Natalie Perera, Chief Executive of the Education Policy Institute (EPI), said:
“We welcome the announcement that a Labour government would launch a review of Early Years policy and we look forward to seeing greater detail as these proposals are developed further.
“We are particularly pleased to see that Labour is considering removing restrictions on local authorities opening nursery provision. Maintained local authority nurseries tend to be situated in diverse areas with high levels of deprivation and led by qualified teachers. If sufficiently resourced this could begin to pave the way for an expansion of early years settings focused on serving disadvantaged children.
“The commitment to reviewing and seeking to improve the teaching of maths in primary schools is also commendable, but this must be implemented in a way that is evidence-based, in partnership with schools and the teaching profession.
“More details are needed regarding other key aspects of Labour’s education policy offer, such as how a Labour government would tackle the crisis in teacher retention and the role that will be played by the new ‘Skills England’ body in delivering the skills needed for economic growth.”
