When Labour was elected in 1997, we promised we would focus on raising standards in schools with a mixture of pressure and support. We have kept our promise.
The daily literacy and numeracy hours in primary schools have transformed reading and maths standards and are starting to improve standards of writing.
Ofsted has found that the quality of lessons in both primary and secondary schools has improved significantly. The proportion of young people getting five good GCSEs has risen and the number leaving with no passes has fallen significantly.
Particularly encouraging has been a real boost in schools in disadvantaged circumstances. There has been better than average improvements in primary schools in education action zones, secondary schools in Excellence in Cities areas and amongst black, Asian and working class pupils. We have improved the resources and support available for schools and teachers – and we have had higher expectations, too.
Funding is better than in 1997. In real terms, £300 per pupil more now and £450 more from April. This has helped us to cut primary class sizes for all age groups – and put us ahead of target to meet our infant class size pledge this year rather than next. It means there are now 7,400 more teachers in England and Wales than in January 1998 and, despite difficulties I know some schools are currently having, 2,250 more people training to be teachers than this time last year. We are taking every practical step to attract the teachers we need.
We’ve also increased teachers’ pay, with the salaries of over 150,000 experienced teachers, who meet performance standards, rising by over £3,000 a year from April, some of it backdated to September. Pay for new teachers has also risen by far more than inflation.
Teacher training has been improved in quality and teachers are being prepared for the literacy and numeracy hours and to use computers effectively. Because such training was neglected by the Tories, Labour had to provide extra training for tens of thousands of serving teachers.
We’ve invested in the infrastructure as well. Thousands of schools have already had new roofs, new classrooms, new labs or new heating systems from £5 billion invested since 1997. There’s £8 billion more planned over the next three years, including 650 schools completely rebuilt or refurbished.
There have been big improvements in after-school sports and arts activities. A new music fund is preserving and expanding instrumental tuition and the national sports strategy is bringing access to a wider range of sports to many more young people.
This year alone, Labour is investing three times more than the Tories spent on capital in 1996-7. Nine in ten schools are connected to the Internet and pupil: computer ratios have greatly improved, particularly in primary schools. Internet materials for parents, teachers and pupils are being provided – and are proving very popular.
We are also acting to cut needless red tape. This year a lot less has been sent to schools from government than last – and we are working with heads to reduce needless duplication of data collection. We have made a start in secondary schools, particularly in the inner cities. But there is a big task for a second term.
We have started to focus more on extending improvements in secondary schools. That means:
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New targets and resources to improve standards for eleven to fourteen year-olds.
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Strong vocational options for fourteen year-olds with new apprenticeships.
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Extending Excellence in Cities, with mentors, extra help with discipline, and support for able pupils to cover over one million secondary pupils.
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More specialist schools focusing on technology, languages, arts and sports.
It also means more investment and, uniquely, this is set out for the next three years before an election. It contrasts strongly with Tory plans to increase bureaucracy, especially for small schools, and abandon the successful literacy and numeracy strategies.
We have achieved a lot in education since 1997 – but we need a Labour victory at the General Election to extend those achievements for the future.