Southport Lib Dem Candidate Champions Radical Education Reforms

Southport Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate Erin Harvey believes the radical action that the Lib Dems are planning to take when it comes to education will have a real impact on Southport’s children and local teachers.

The key pledges in the manifesto are: 

·       Reforming the School Teachers’ Review Body to make it properly independent of government and able to recommend fair pay rises for teachers, and fully funding those rises every year.

·       Introducing a clear and properly funded programme of high-quality professional development for all teachers, including training on effective parental engagement.

·       Establishing a standing commission to build a long-term consensus across parties and teachers to broaden the curriculum and make qualifications at 16 and 18 fit for the 21st century.

·       Reform Ofsted inspections and end single-word judgements so that parents get a clear picture of the true strengths and weaknesses of each school, and schools get the guidance and support they need to improve.

·       Introduce a Young People’s Premium, extending Pupil Premium funding to disadvantaged young people aged 16-18.

·       A radical overhaul of current Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND) provision. They would give local authorities extra funding to reduce the amount that schools pay towards the cost of a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. They would also establish a new National Body for SEND to fund support for children with very high needs and give more powers to local authorities for places planning, exclusions and SEND functions.

Erin commented: “After 14 years of Tory rule we have schools that are chronically underfunded, teachers that are chronically undervalued and children that aren’t getting the broad education they need and deserve.

“We have a fully costed plan to make sure our education system is sustainable. It isn’t just a question of more money – it’s also about making the curriculum fit for purpose as technology and society evolves. Teachers do the most fantastic job in difficult settings and many teachers tell me they are firefighting on a daily basis. They don't have enough funding for SEND pupils and don't even have enough funding for basic supplies by the end of the year.

“They are working incredibly long days to manage all the paper work alongside teaching and are often on the edge of burnout. Making sure our schools are well funded and our teachers properly supported is the best thing we can do to invest in the future of young people and ensure all children have a great start in life and a bright future ahead

“When we were in government we introduced the pupil premium which targeted resources at the poorest pupils. This was real action that made a difference and a vote for the Lib Dems in Southport on Thursday is a vote for a fairer and more effective education system.”

Southport Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate Erin Harvey believes the radical action that the Lib Dems are planning to take when it comes to education will have a real impact on Southport’s children and local teachers.

The key pledges in the manifesto are: 

·       Reforming the School Teachers’ Review Body to make it properly independent of government and able to recommend fair pay rises for teachers, and fully funding those rises every year.

·       Introducing a clear and properly funded programme of high-quality professional development for all teachers, including training on effective parental engagement.

·       Establishing a standing commission to build a long-term consensus across parties and teachers to broaden the curriculum and make qualifications at 16 and 18 fit for the 21st century.

·       Reform Ofsted inspections and end single-word judgements so that parents get a clear picture of the true strengths and weaknesses of each school, and schools get the guidance and support they need to improve.

·       Introduce a Young People’s Premium, extending Pupil Premium funding to disadvantaged young people aged 16-18.

·       A radical overhaul of current Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND) provision. They would give local authorities extra funding to reduce the amount that schools pay towards the cost of a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. They would also establish a new National Body for SEND to fund support for children with very high needs and give more powers to local authorities for places planning, exclusions and SEND functions.

Erin commented: “After 14 years of Tory rule we have schools that are chronically underfunded, teachers that are chronically undervalued and children that aren’t getting the broad education they need and deserve.

“We have a fully costed plan to make sure our education system is sustainable. It isn’t just a question of more money – it’s also about making the curriculum fit for purpose as technology and society evolves. Teachers do the most fantastic job in difficult settings and many teachers tell me they are firefighting on a daily basis. They don't have enough funding for SEND pupils and don't even have enough funding for basic supplies by the end of the year.

“They are working incredibly long days to manage all the paper work alongside teaching and are often on the edge of burnout. Making sure our schools are well funded and our teachers properly supported is the best thing we can do to invest in the future of young people and ensure all children have a great start in life and a bright future ahead

“When we were in government we introduced the pupil premium which targeted resources at the poorest pupils. This was real action that made a difference and a vote for the Lib Dems in Southport on Thursday is a vote for a fairer and more effective education system.”