Since the General Election, this Labour Government has moved quickly to fix the foundations of our children’s lives and services. We’re rebuilding the services around schools that support families, with the foundation of Best Start, new youth clubs and free breakfast clubs. We are tackling child poverty, expanding eligibility to free school meals and bringing an end to the injustice of the two-child limit.
Now the white paper on reforming our education system, Every Child Achieving and Thriving has been published, laying out how we will reform education to transform the life chances of whole generations of young people.
As a former teacher, this white paper resonates with my belief that education should anchored in the principle that every child regardless of background, need or postcode, deserves the chance to thrive. For too long, outcomes have been uneven, with disadvantage and unmet SEND needs acting as barriers that talented, hardworking teachers alone could not overcome. I believe this white paper recognises this reality and lays out a plan to rebuild the ecosystem around schools so that children’s success is not left to individual heroics or parental resourcefulness, but is supported by a system that is coherent, inclusive and fair.
I welcome the strong commitment to broadening the curriculum. A rich educational experience should never be limited to a narrow focus on a handful of subjects, nor should enrichment be treated as a privilege available only to those who can afford it. The renewed emphasis on oracy, reading, writing, numeracy, the arts, physical activity and civic engagement reflects what many teachers have long known: that breadth inspires curiosity, boosts confidence and fosters the kind of well-rounded development that carries children into adulthood with resilience and ambition. The introduction of a guaranteed enrichment entitlement will make this concrete; ensuring pupils in every community gain access to opportunities that broaden their horizons and build cultural and social capital.
I know from the discussions I have had with families and with groups like Aim Higher and West Hull Parent carer Forum, the barriers faced by children with SEND and the white paper addresses this clearly through a shift towards inclusive mainstream provision, underpinned by early intervention, clearer expectations and robust support. Commitments such as the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, digital Individual Support Plans, and improved access to specialist professionals mark a decisive move away from the reactive, bureaucratic approach that has failed too many families. A system that equips all schools, not just a few, to meet diverse needs is essential if inclusion is to be more than rhetoric.
Importantly, the white paper also acknowledges the urgent need to support teachers themselves. Workload, recruitment and retention pressures have driven far too many dedicated colleagues from the profession. The expansion of high-quality training, improved maternity arrangements, investment in support staff, and strengthened wellbeing measures all signal a welcome recognition that staff deserve both respect and practical support. Schools cannot deliver ambitious reform without a stable, empowered workforce.
Finally, the focus on tackling entrenched deprivation, particularly through targeted missions in the North-East and coastal communities, aligns deeply with my commitment to social justice. The recognition of white working class underachievement, alongside wider disadvantage, is an honest and necessary step.
My first impressions are that this white paper sets out a broad, ambitious and humane agenda, one that aligns closely with my belief in an education system that lifts every child, supports every teacher and strengthens every community.