Nursery World - Labour conference: Starmer promises to launch a 'National Excellence Programme' for education

Giving his first speech as Labour leader at the party's annual conference in Brighton, Keir Starmer pledged to deliver ‘the most ambitious school improvement plan in a generation’.

Keir Starmer delivering his keynote speech at the Labour conference PHOTO Labour Party, YouTube

Even before the pandemic, he said, 200,000 children grew up in areas with not a single primary school rated as good or outstanding.

He said a Labour government would focus on improving the prospects of the 40 per cent of young people who leave compulsory education without essential qualifications.

In a reference to Tony Blair’s ‘education, education, education’ slogan he said, ‘Education is so important I am tempted to say it three times. When you don’t invest in young people the whole nation suffers and the less fortunate are left behind.'

He added, 'I want every parent in the country to be able to send their child to a great state school.

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