One year in for Labour: is it hitting its education pledges?
A year to the day since Labour won its landslide election victory, how far has it come in its “mission” to “break down the barriers to opportunity”?
This broad aspiration - one of five missions set out in Labour’s manifesto - sits above a huge range of specific pledges covering areas ranging from school breakfast clubs to the curriculum and the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.
Few of these promises were ever meant to be fulfilled within 12 months, but levels of progress vary significantly: some policies are well underway while others are nowhere near leaving the ground.
Several are dependent on the passing of the government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is slowly making its way through the House of Lords as the clock ticks towards the summer parliamentary recess.
Tes has scrutinised each pledge in turn to assess the extent to which it is being met:
Inspection
“We will enhance the inspection regime by replacing a single headline grade with a new report card system telling parents clearly how schools are performing.”
Labour has certainly got the ball rolling on Ofsted reform, announcing that overall single-word effectiveness grades were scrapped with immediate effect at the start of the academic year. However, what exactly the new inspection system will look like is still up in the air.
Ofsted has concluded its consultation on its plans to judge schools, using new report cards, on nine different areas using a five-point scale. This consultation attracted positive responses from parents but significant criticism from the schools sector.
Labour and Ofsted are both committed to rolling out the updated inspection system for a November start date, but the watchdog has now delayed the publication of its consultation response to the start of the autumn term, much to both the unions’ and the education secretary’s concern.
“We will also bring multi-academy trusts into the inspection system and introduce a new annual review of safeguarding, attendance and off-rolling.”
The Treasury has increased funding for Ofsted over the next two years, in order to develop and implement multi-academy trust inspections.
Tes understands that MAT inspections will be brought in over the course of this parliament, and will enable the government to directly intervene when trusts are not performing to the required standards.
Ofsted’s previous MAT summary evaluations - ungraded checks on trusts - were halted last year due to a lack of funding.
Earlier this year Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver told MPs that he and the education secretary were yet to have “advanced conversations” about Labour’s manifesto commitment to introduce annual safeguarding checks.
SEND
“Labour will take a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.”
Since taking office, the government has made promoting inclusion in mainstream schools a key focus of its planned reforms for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
It created an expert advisory group on inclusion led by MAT CEO Tom Rees, which has launched a call for evidence for an initiative called Inclusion in Practice. The group will make recommendations to the government.
The Department for Education has also announced £740 million for the creation of specialist places in both mainstream and special schools.
At the government’s Spending Review last month, it confirmed that it would be producing a White Paper setting out its plans for SEND reform in the autumn.
Tes revealed earlier this year that as part of these reforms, the DfE is considering whether education, health and care plans are the “right vehicle” to continue with to support pupils with SEND.
Training
“We will introduce a new teacher training entitlement to ensure teachers stay up to date on best practice with continuing professional development.”
The DfE has been light on the details about what a teacher training entitlement will include, but the National Professional Qualifications and Early Career Framework review will likely form part of this work.
A recent report by the IPPR and Ambition Institute called for £260 million to fund a new national entitlement to teacher training, but there was no money set aside in the Spending Review specifically for teacher training or CPD.
“Labour will fund evidence-based early-language interventions in primary schools, so that every child can find their voice.”
The government has announced that it is to spend £3.4 million this year to continue an early intervention for speech and language.
Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) will reach up to 20,000 more children, the DfE said. The funding will last until March 2026 and is jointly provided by NHS England.
The government also agreed to continue funding the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) for 2024-2025.
“Labour will create a new Excellence in Leadership Programme, a mentoring framework that expands the capacity of headteachers and leaders to improve their schools.”
There has been little said on this policy since it was first included in the manifesto.
However, given that the DfE is no longer funding the National Institute of Teaching’s CEO development programme, there is certainly room to fill this space.
“We will update the Early Career Framework, maintaining its grounding in evidence, and ensure any new teacher entering the classroom has, or is working towards, Qualified Teacher Status.”
The DfE has announced a review of the Early Career Framework in 2027, which it said will focus on two areas: mentoring and teaching pupils with SEND.
However, it is unclear how long this review will take, meaning it is possible that the ECF may not be reviewed, updated and reimplemented before the next general election.
The government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is currently being considered by Parliament, includes a measure to extend the QTS requirement to all state schools.
If the bill is passed in its current form, from September 2026 all teachers in academies will be required to have QTS or be working towards it.
Curriculum
“The last Labour government’s promotion of phonics put rocket boosters under the reading and writing ability of a generation of children. We will do the same for numeracy, improving the quality of maths teaching across nurseries and primary schools.”
Ms Phillipson said that “maths is the language of the universe” as she promised “real-world” numeracy lessons, including teaching elements of financial literacy in the classroom.
At Labour’s 2023 party conference she said that its then-planned curriculum review would “bring maths to life for the next generation”.
Neither the curriculum and assessment review’s terms of reference, nor its interim report, mention this policy.
However, in February the DfE extended funding for Stronger Practice Hubs (launched in 2022 by the Conservative government) for a further year, while rolling out additional training for “Maths Champions” to train 800 more champions in nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools.
“Labour will launch an expert-led review of curriculum and assessment, working with school staff, parents and employers to change this. Our review will consider the right balance of assessment methods while protecting the important role of examinations.”
Professor Becky Francis’ review of curriculum and assessment is set to publish its final report in autumn 2025.
“Labour will support children to study a creative or vocational subject until they are 16, and ensure accountability measures reflect this.”
The curriculum and assessment review terms of reference state that it will seek to deliver “a broader curriculum, so that children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, art, sport and drama, as well as vocational subjects”.
The DfE announced the development of a “National Centre for Arts and Music Education” - more on this below.
The DfE has also announced that it will publish information on the enrichment offers of every state school in England on its School Profiles tool - more on this below.
“We will get more children active by protecting time for physical education, and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.”
The government has said a new national network will build stronger partnerships between schools, local sports clubs and national governing bodies to identify barriers for children who are less active and improve access - particularly for girls and pupils with SEND. No timeline or additional funding appear to have been committed.
The DfE has also said it is “committed” to publishing an Enrichment Framework by the end of 2025, to be developed with a working group of experts. New funding was announced to support this.
It also said that it will publish information on the sport and enrichment offers of every state school in England on its School Profiles tool, which is expected to be piloted in the 2025-26 academic year.
The DfE announced a three-year programme aimed at giving 10,000 teachers training to deliver PE lessons for pupils with SEND. Inclusion 2028 will begin next academic year and is backed by an initial £300,000, with a goal of supporting 600 new extracurricular clubs.
“We will also launch a new National Music Education Network - a one-stop shop with information on courses and classes for parents, teachers and children.”
On 18 March, the DfE announced the development of a “National Centre for Arts and Music Education”, which is due to be launched in September 2026 and will take over management of the government’s existing music hubs network.
Early years
“As an initial step, Labour will open an additional 3,000 nurseries through upgrading space in primary schools, to deliver the extension of government-funded hours families are entitled to.”
In October the DfE announced £15 million for its school-based nurseries programme, which it described as the “first stage” of its plan to deliver 3,000 additional nurseries.
That amount was subsequently increased to £37 million, and 300 bids have now been approved with a maximum of £150,000 per bid.
The expansion is set to offer up to 6,000 new places, although only 4,000 of those are expected to be available in September.
In May the government announced around £370 million of future funding to support the programme. The next round is expected to commence in the autumn.
Teacher supply and support staff
“Labour will recruit an additional 6,500 new expert teachers. We will get more teachers into shortage subjects, support areas that face recruitment challenges, and tackle retention issues. The way bursaries are allocated, and the structure of retention payments, will be reviewed.”
Labour has yet to set out its strategy for recruiting 6,500 additional teachers. DfE permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood revealed to MPs recently that no specific baseline year has been set to measure this number against.
She added that the details of the strategy were being held for the Spending Review - however, no further details, particularly on the allocation of bursaries and the structure of retention payments, have yet been announced, other than that the additional teachers will be for secondary and special schools and colleges, not primaries.
She assured MPs that the work to recruit teachers was already underway. Workforce data last month showed the teacher workforce across secondary, special and alternative provision had grown by 2,300 in 2024 compared with 2023, which ministers have since said shows that Labour is a third of the way to hitting its target.
“Labour will end the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools to invest in our state schools.”
This was one of Labour’s first measures to go through after being included in the Finance Bill, which received Royal Assent in March, and was aimed at supporting education pledges, including the 6,500 new teachers.
Private school fees have been subject to 20 per cent VAT since 1 January 2025. The Treasury estimated last year that this would raise more than £1.7 billion a year by 2029-30.
A group of private schools, pupils and parents brought a High Court challenge against the policy, supported by the Independent Schools Council. It was dismissed earlier this month.
The latest data shows there was a 1.9 per cent drop in pupils at private schools in January 2025 compared with the previous year, which the government said was “firmly within historical patterns seen for over 20 years”.
“Labour will reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, which will help address the acute recruitment and retention crisis in support roles.”
Labour’s Employment Rights Bill contains a measure to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, which would negotiate on pay and conditions for support staff. The bill has recently moved into the report stage in the House of Lords.
It is estimated the body will be in position to make pay recommendations in 2027-28 at the earliest.
School improvement
“Labour will introduce new Regional Improvement Teams, to enhance school-to-school support, and spread best practice.”
Labour announced the introduction of Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams last year, which consist of advisers who match “stuck” schools with organisations to provide support.
Advisers also provide universal support to schools across four priorities : attendance, attainment with a focus on English and maths, inclusion, and Reception year quality.
There are currently 65 RISE advisers working with more than 200 of the stuck schools. RISE advisers will eventually work with around 400 of the stuck schools, of which the DfE expects the vast majority to have improvement plans in place by 2026.
It is too early to assess the system, but transparency concerns have been raised around the commissioning of support, as well as the credentials of some RISE advisers.
Pupil wellbeing
”Labour will fund free breakfast clubs in every primary school, accessible to all children.”
This measure is included in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and requires all state-funded primary schools to ensure pupils have access to a free breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes.
A pilot scheme launched in April, involving 750 schools. However, early adopter schools have warned that current funding is falling far short and does not cover the costs of supporting children with SEND.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced at the budget last year that the government would invest £30 million in breakfast clubs in 2025-26 , after spending £7 million on the trial this year.
The bill is currently in the committee stage in the House of Lords.
”Labour will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. This will complement our plan for Young Futures Hubs, which will make sure every community has an open-access hub for children and young people with drop-in mental health support.”
The government said last month that 607 mental health support teams, first introduced in 2018, now cover 10,100 schools and colleges (41 per cent), and just over half of pupils (52 per cent).
An extra £49 million in funding was recently announced for the teams , which the DfE said could reach up to 900,000 more pupils by the end of March 2026, increasing coverage to 48 per cent of schools and colleges and 62 per cent of pupils.
However, coverage is currently not distributed equally across England - only 38 per cent of schools and colleges in the East of England are covered by a team, compared with nearly half (47 per cent) in London.
Young Futures Hubs are aimed at bringing together services providing access to opportunities and support for young people in their local communities. The Department for Health and Social Care, along with the DfE, published a framework in February that said it will establish early adopter hubs.More information about the launch of Young Futures hubs will be published “in due course”, parliamentary under-secretary Janet Daby said recently.
Safeguarding
“Labour will improve data sharing across services, with a single unique identifier, to better support children and families.”
This is another measure in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which creates a duty for agencies to share information related to safeguarding.
The government is seeking delegated powers to specify which regulations it should use to specify which number should be used as a consistent identifier for children and which agencies will be required to use it. It is “not yet known” which number will be the most appropriate for use as a single unique identifier.
Admissions
“We will make sure admissions decisions account for the needs of communities and require all schools to cooperate with their local authority on school admissions, SEND inclusion and place planning.”
The government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill includes measures to give greater powers to ensure that school admissions decisions reflect local needs. Local authorities can already direct maintained schools to admit children, and the bill would extend this power to academies.
It also includes a measure that will allow the schools adjudicator to set a school’s published admission number (PAN) when an objection against it is upheld
Uniform
“We will also bring down the cost of school by limiting the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.”
This measure is included in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which limits the number of branded uniform items that a primary school can require to three. Secondary schools can have one additional branded item as long as one of the items is a tie.
The government currently expects the limits to come into force in September 2026, though this depends on when the bill is passed.
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