Education secretary announces plans to 'invest' in early years staff

Speaking on day two of the conference yesterday, Zahawi reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring children recover what they lost during the pandemic and that they are not behind in their language and development - referring to his own experiences as a child arriving from Baghdad to the UK when he was 11.

He said, ‘Every child deserves a great teacher. And every teacher deserves great training.’

’So as the foundation of the next decade of reform during this parliament, we will deliver 500,000 teacher training opportunities. We are carrying out a fundamental overhaul that will make this country the best in the world to train and learn as a teacher.

‘And that means investing in our outstanding early years staff too. 40 per cent of education inequality is baked in by the age of five.

He added, ‘Great early education can change that. Which is why we are investing a record £180 million in developing and deepening the expertise of the brilliant men and women who care for and educate our children when they are absorbing most about the world around them.’

The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said it was 'refreshing' to hear the education secretary 'recognise the crucial role early years plays in children's longer term learning'.

Zahawi also announced plans to bring forward a ‘schools’ white paper’ in the new year, outlining plans to tackle innumeracy and illiteracy.

'If the Government fails to save nursery education, it will irrevocably harm outcomes'

Reacting to the education secretary’s speech, the National Education Union’s (NEU) joint general secretary said, ‘Nadhim Zahawi is right that early years, the curriculum, and teacher recruitment are vitally important if children and young people are to get the education they deserve.

‘Levelling up must mean addressing social deprivation for young children and their families as well as ensuring a fully funded early years sector that provides every child access to good quality early years education.’

He warned, ‘If the Government fails to save high quality nursery education, it will irrevocably harm the educational outcomes and life chances of millions of children across the country.’

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) welcomed the minister’s commitment to ‘unleashing the potential of all young people in this country’.

General secretary Paul Whiteman said, ‘We hope his commitment to being evidence-led signals a clear intent to listen to professionals working in and around schools.’

'Plan for Jobs’

Speaking ahead of Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an investment of £500m to tackle unemployment and support job seekers following the end of furlough.

The investment forms part of the Government’s ‘Plan for Jobs’,  and will see money earmarked to help unemployed people over the age of 50 back into work.

He also revealed an extension to the Kickstart scheme, Job Entry Targeted Support scheme and apprenticeship incentive would be extended into 2022.

It follows a warning from the Federation of Small businesses at the end of last month that small businesses face a ‘challenging autumn’ with the withdrawal of Government financial help, including the apprenticeship incentive that was due to come to an end on 30 September.

The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) argued that any plan for jobs, must include a ‘plan for childcare’.

Chief executive Purnima Tanuku said, ‘A high quality education is key to future-proofing our economy and that must include shoring up the foundations of learning in children’s early years.

‘It’s critical that this Government includes an increase to hourly funding rates in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.’

On the planned cut to universal credit, the chancellor said that it was not right for claimants ‘just to increase their benefits’ and ‘lean ever more on the state’, and a that a more effective way of increasing their income would be through work.

The Child Poverty Action Group said the move risked leaving a 'very bleak' future for struggling households.

Chief executive Alison Garnham said, 'Nothing the Chancellor said today will help worried parents. This week’s universal credit cut is due to leave millions of families – many of them in-work – without enough to live on. Cutting the incomes of the lowest earners won’t support jobs, it will increase child poverty.'