At this year’s Labour Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute has partnered with NAHT to hold a public panel: Stabilisation vs radical reform: education priorities for the new government.
The challenges facing the education sector are well-known: a major recruitment and retention crisis; crumbling school and college building; significant problems with the accountability system in its current form; rising rates of absenteeism and mental health problems in children and young people and a SEND system that is not fit for purpose. The sector is calling for both investment and reform in order to tackle these challenges and close disadvantage gaps to ensure all children can succeed in their education. At the same time, schools and colleges in England have faced significant upheavals in the last decade, from major system change with the onset of academisation, to curriculum and qualifications reform, to the Covid-19 pandemic, all of which have brought challenges and the need for time and capacity to adapt.
As we open a new parliament, how should policymakers balance the need for stabilisation versus radical reform in the education sector? Given the significant burdens teachers and leaders already face, not to mention the time it takes for any policy change to impact children’s outcomes, which areas should policymakers prioritise for immediate change? And what should form part of a longer-term plan for reform?
This panel will bring together politicians, school leaders and sector experts to consider what might realistically, and usefully, be achieved in this parliament, particularly given the limited funding envelope, and what areas should be longer-term priorities. Panellists will also discuss how to ensure education reforms are both evidence-based and last beyond one parliamentary cycle for the benefit of the education workforce and children.
We are delighted to be joined by Sarah Smith MP; Paul Whiteman, NAHT; Sam Freedman and Jonny Uttley, The Education Alliance. Natalie Perera, EPI’s Chief Executive, will chair this panel.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Labour Party.**
