Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer has set out what he hopes to be a fresh vision for the party at the conference in Brighton.

After months of internal disagreement and pressure to counter the government’s policies, Sir Keir and his shadow cabinet have unveiled a series of striking policies including a boost in support for a recovery plan for education.

At the conference, Kate Green MP, shadow secretary of State for Education, said:

‘I’m delighted to be here to debate how the next Labour government will overcome the challenges of the pandemic to deliver an education system that equips children for the future.

‘For, as I have heard on visits to nurseries, schools, colleges and universities, the challenges we have to overcome are severe.

‘Children out of school for 115 days, isolated from their friends and teachers. Exams chaos, with students suffering 2 years of uncertainty and last-minute decisions disrupting their futures.

‘We’ve already shown Labour’s commitment with our Children’s Recovery Plan. A plan that recognises that children’s learning and wellbeing go hand in hand. A plan that would set children up for life with communication, teamwork, problem solving, social skills.

‘That’s why our plan would extend the school day for additional activities – breakfast clubs giving children the fuel to learn, art, sport, cooking, coding, book clubs – so that opportunities to develop life skills and enjoy new experiences become the norm for every child. It’s why we would invest in training world class teachers, and give schools the resources to expand small group tutoring, unlocking all the advantages it brings. Why we would support the early years sector, schools and colleges with an Education Recovery Premium.’

Purnima Tanuku OBE, chief exec of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said:

‘Early years must be seen as the most important part of any education policy. Anyone who is serious about closing the attainment gap and making Britain the best place to grow-up needs to focus on how we as a society support children’s early education.

‘Evidence has shown that access to high-quality early learning opportunities, like those provided by nurseries, is crucial to children’s life chances and helps close the attainment gap for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

‘We have previously welcomed the plans to increase the Early Years Pupil Premium in line with primary school children rates. However, with 95% of nurseries saying current hourly rates do not cover their costs and a workforce crisis – there needs to be a strong focus on investing in children’s futures in the early years sector to help give them the best start in life.’